3.77/62. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


^^.»^-i  -■■'%^,, 


(^^^^^^/^^^TVo^^vaX  ^i<AY^^V\K.e,^:I) 


BV  4637  .S4  1871 
See,  Isaac  M. 
The  rest  of  faith 


.  ^■'.W^JLlJ'-.i.^'  J^- 


firr^ 


THE 


Rest  of  Faith. 


BY 


REV.    ISAAC    M.    SEE, 


MINISTER  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


NEW    YORK: 
W.  C.  PALMER,  Jr.,   14   BIBLE   HOUSE. 

1871. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

W.  C.  PALMER,  Jr.,' 
In  the  OflBce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Stereotyped  at  the 

WOMEN'S    PRINTING    HOTJ^B, 

Corner  Arenue  A  and  Eighth  Street, 

New  York. 


CONTENTS, 


INTRODUCTORY. 

How  Have    Vou  Begun  ? 9 

Half-way  to  Christ  ? 12 

Is  The  C/mrch  an  Hospital  ? .     .     ,     •     •     •     •  14 

CHAPTER   I. 

Consecration 17 


CHAPTER  n. 

PAGE 

Question  Answered —  CAN  I  BE  HOLY  ? 28 

Answer  I.   God  desig7ied  for  His  Churchy  in  this  Dis- 

pensatioiiy  a  Perpetual  Passover  Feast,  29 

"      //.    Jestcs  Able  and  Willing 43 

The  Great  Physician'' s  Cure 49 

God  is  Willing 52 

«'   ///.    What  is  Holiness  ? 53 

Salvation  from  Sin 5^ 

The  Terms  we  use 61 

A  Transparent  Grace  . 72 

"    IV.    How  Can  I  be  Holy  ? 75 

Are  you  determijtcd  to  be  Holy  ?  .     .     .     •  75 


IV  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Simple  Faith  and  Holiness 82 

We  will  Remember  the  Believer's  Foun- 
tain      92 

The  Divine  Method  in  Two  Things     .     .  95 

An  ObjectioJi  Answered 99 

Looking  unto  Jesus  —  The  Present  Cure  of  Sin     .     .  106 

Looking  unto  Jesus  Still —  Jesus  All  in  All      .     .     .  109 


CHAPTER  III. 

Stones  in  the  way -^  to  be  gathered  out    .    .123 

/.    Hymns  that  Hurt 123 

//.    The  Time  of  Destroying  the  Works  of  the  Devil y   134 
///.    Questions  to   which  questioners  expect  Daring 

Answers 140 

1.  Are  we  not  to  grow  in  grace  ?       ....   140 

2.  Are  we  not  to  confess  sin  ? 146 

3.  Am  I  Holy? IS© 

4.  Impossible  to  live  so 156 

IV.    Hindrances  in  the  Hearts  of  Christians    .     .     .165 

1.  Disposition  to  Materialize 165 

2.  Chiefly,  Unbelief 173 

3.  Legality  —  A  Seventh-of -Romans  Difficulty.   1 79 

Its  Cure  in  the  Heavenly  Husband    .     .185 
This  gives  the  principle  on  which  all  objec- 
tions may  be  answered^  and  all  difficulties 
met  —  ONLY  JESUS 191 


CONTENTS.  V 
CHAPTER   IV. 

PAGE 

Conclusions 193 

To  the  Reader : 

1.  Do  yoti  live  as  you  can? 193 

Way  of  Holiness  Easy 201 

2.  Abide  in  Christ 206 

3.  Be  Still 210 

4.  Let  Faith  be  Assured 2l6 

5.  The  Love  Power 219 

6.  We  are  Leading  a  Hidden  Life 227 

Further  Illustrations  of  this  Subject  in  the  Case  of 

the  Nobleman  and  his  Son 237 

Faith  before  Works 243 

Our  Ministry  to  Testify    .     .     ,' 257 


PREFACE. 


"  The  Rest  of  Faith."  Yes,  let  the  book  be 
called  by  that  name.  For  that  is  the  blessed  con- 
dition of  the  "little  ones"  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
They  have  found  the  rest  which  is  "/^/"  "to  the 
people  of  God."  So  resting  by  faith,  both  injunc- 
tion and  promise  are  fulfilled  in  them  —  "  Be  care- 
ful for  nothing;  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and 
supplication  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God.  And  the  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your 
hearts  and  minds  through  Christ  Jesus." 

If  the  Lord  Jesus  will  use  these  pages  for  His 
own  glory,  and  by  them  draw  souls  unto  Himself 
in  full  salvation,  I  can  only  be  filled  with  Halle- 
lujahs. 

Let  the  reader  ask  the  dear  Lord  to  save  him 
from  reading  as  a  critic,  and  to  enable  him  to  read 
with  the  inquiry,  "  How  much  of  Jesus  and  His 
work  may  I  have  ?  "     If  the  reader  be  already  in  the 


VIU  PREFACE. 

rest  of  faith,  I  know  him  well.  He  may  see  in- 
completeness in  style  or  mere"  expression,  but  he 
will  love  the  doctrine.  Such  an  one  will  pray  that 
the  book  may  be  used  by  The  King  and  Head 
over  all  things  to  the  Church  for  the  furtherance  of 
His  work.  It  is  my  comfort,  that  God  can  use 
these  pages  for  that  glorious  work.  "  For  ye  see 
your  calling,  brethren,  how  that  not  many  wise 
men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many 
noble,  are  called.  But  God  hath  chosen  the  fool- 
ish- things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and 
God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to 
confound  the  things  which  are  mighty ;  and  base 
things  of  the  world,  and  things  which  are  despised, 
hath  God  chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not, 
to  bring  to  naught  things  that  are:  that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  His  presence." 

Glory  be  to  The  Father,  and  to  The  Son,  and  to 
The  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 

I.  M.  S. 

Feb.  23,  1871. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


HOW   HAVE  YOU   BEGUN? 

Many  failures  of  Christians  come  from  a  wrong 
commencement  of  their  reHgious  life.  Their  neefl 
is  not  only  a  general  consecration,  but  one  that  is 
particular  and  specific.  Everything  for  God.  All 
they  have,  to  be  marked  '■'■for  Jesus. '^  Their  whole 
selves  to  be  stamped  "  The  Lord's  alone^  And 
they  should  live  in  the  continual  consciousness  that 
what  they  have  done  stands  fast.  On  God's  altar, 
they  are  to  remain  upon  it  —  their  hands  must  not 
again  touch  the  gift  they  have  placed  there. 

Were  this  the  case,  how  little  trouble  they  would 
have.  Their  little  all  would  be  God's  to  keep ; 
His,  to  preserve  according  to  infinite  wisdom  ; 
His,  to  increase  or  diminish ;  and  they  themselves 
as  little  children  in  His  hands  —  Httle  children 
never  to  grow  out  of  His  hands,  but  to  grow  more 
into  them.  For  this  is  a  mark  of  spiritual  manhood. 
It  does  but  get  more  childlike  and  simple,  more 
content  with  God's  ways,  more  desirous  to  be  led 

(9) 


lO  INTRODUCTORY. 

by  Him,  and  that  all  our  concerns  may  be  nothing 
to  us,  save  as  they  may  be  used  for  His  glory. 

No  need  then  for  Christians  to  become  angry  at 
injuries  —  they  would  be  sweetly  conscious  that 
their  blood  is  precious  in  His  sight.  No  need  to 
stand  up  for  their  reputation  against  malicious 
offenders.  No  need  then  to  be  putting  self  forward. 
Oh !  what  a-  hidden  monster  is  little  self!  It  is 
only  little  indeed,  and  herein  is  seen  its  greatness  as 
an  enemy  to  the  soul.  It  is  a  little  thing  to  be 
seeking  to  advance,  a  mean  thing  to  set  forward, 
but  when  set  forward  a  devil  to  destroy  and  tear 
down,  and  annihilate  everything  noble,  and  pure, 
and  holy.  No,  in  a  true  and  complete  consecra- 
tion, self  would  be  given  to  God  and  left  on  His 
altar  to  be  consumed  in  His  service.  May  we 
not  safely  say  that  all  difficulties  arising  in  churches 
or  in  communities  come  from  an  undue  attention  to 
self.  But  God  sees  this,  and  has  distinctly  ordered 
that  self  shall  be  laid  down  at  His  feet.  It  is  this 
which  marks  the  new  creature.  Old  things  were 
full  of  self.  The  "new  things,"  therefore,  are 
rightly  supposed  to  be  free  from  self.  Where  in 
reality  they  are  not  so,  there  must  either  be  fearful 
deception  or  fearful  ignorance. 

And  there  is  danger  of  both  these  in  the  Church. 
Many  church-members  may  be  deceived.  It  is 
not  at  all  improbable,  in  the  judgment  of  charity, 
that  some  are.     While  professing  to  be  on  the  way 


INTRODUCTORY.  1 1 

to  heaven,  they  are  sooner  or  later  to  awake  in  the 
awful  condition  of  the  lost.  For  they  are  building 
up  self  when  they  ought  alone  to  serve  and  honor 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  harboring  anger,  making  their 
reputation  more  than  their  Christianity ;  loving  the 
creature  more  than  the  Creator;  parleying  with 
sin  every  day,  and  holding  familiar  converse  with 
sinners  and  rejecters  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Reader,  is  this  your  condition?  Do  not,  then, 
complain  that  you  find  it  hard  to  believe.  While 
rolling  sin  under  the  tongue,  and  living  in  oneness 
with  a  gay  world,  it  is  impossible  to  believe. 

We  say  therefore  to  all,  let  the  foundations  of 
religious  life  be  well  laid.  Christ  the  rock  on 
which  we  build,  and  the  whole  for  Christ.  Life, 
property,  body,  soul,  spirit,  time,  circumstances, 
built  upon  Christ  and  for  his  glory.  And  Christ 
not  as  a  holder  of  us  merely,  but  Possessor,  Author 
and  Finisher  of  our  faith,  and  supreme  Authority 
of  our  lives.  Beloved  youth  in  the  service  of  the 
Lord,  new-born  new  creatures,  be  this  the  rule  of 
your  life,  the  safeguard  for  the  future,  the  exceed- 
ing joy  of  your  service,  of  your  giving, — "  Nothing 
WITHOUT  Jesus."  No  pleasure  without  Jesus ! 
No  money  without  Jesus !  No  companions  with- 
out Jesus  !  "  Seeing  that  ye  have  put  off  the  old 
man  with  his  deeds,  and  have  put  on  the  new 
man  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the 
image  of  Him  that  created  him;   where  there  is 


12  INTRODUCTORY. 

neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircum- 
cision,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free ;  but 
Christ  is  all,  and  in  all." 

half-way  to  christ. 

This  sentence  has  been  staring  me  in  the  face 
from  a  paper  which  lies  on  the  table  before  me  — 
"  Half-way  to  Christ  is  a  Dangerous  Place."  And 
it  is  so  because  those  who  occupy  such  a  position 
must  fail  of  having  the  benefit  of  His  death.  There 
is  but  one  mode  of  receiving  the  full  result  of  His 
work  and  His  mediation.  "  All  things  are  possible 
to  him  that  believeth."  It  is  by  simple  faith.  In 
the  Fulton-street  prayer-meeting,  a  petition  some- 
what like  this  was  read  :  "  Please  pray  for  one  who 
prays  for  himself,  but  he  cannot  find  the  way  to 
Christ."  It  was  proposed  that  they  should  sing, 
and  that  any  in  the  room  in  the  condition  of  that 
young  man  should  join  in  singing,  and  come  to 
Christ  while  singing  the  following  verse : 

"  Just  as  I  am  thou  wilt  receive, 
Wilt  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  relieve. 
Because  thy  promise  I  believe  ; 

O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come,  I  come  !  " 

When  anxious  souls  stop  short  of  this  work  of 
full  belief  in  the  power  and  willingness  of  Jesus  to 
receive  them  and  purify  their  hearts,  they  leave 
themselves  just  inside  the  pale  of  the  world. 
Some  have  entered  the  Church  only  half-way  be- 


INTRODUCTORY.  1 3 

lieving  Christ.  They  were  taught  that  no  man 
could  cease  from  sin,  and  so  they  have  believed 
and  confessed  themselves  "  sinners,"  and  the  world 
has  charmed  them  more  and  more  as  such,  until 
outsiders  say  of  them,  that  these  church-members 
are  no  better  than  themselves.  It  may  well  be 
thought  that  such  are  in  a  very  fearful  state  ;  for  if 
outsiders  go  to  perdition,  those  in  the  Church 
must  have  their  suifering  enhanced  from  the  fact 
that  they  were  so  near  Christ  without  ever  discov- 
ering the  virtue  of  His  blood. 

"  Half-way  to  Christ ! "  It  is  the  condition  of 
sorrow,  of  doubt,  of  distress. 

It  is  just  the  position  in  which  Satan  loves  to 
have  and  to  keep  the  Church,  for  it  robs  God  of 
His  rightful  service ;  it  garnishes  the  wickedness  of 
the  world  and  makes  it  respectable ;  it  helps  to 
induct  young  professors  of  religion  into  a  life  of 
practical  unbelief;  it  fosters  those  bad  habits  from 
which  professors  say  there  is  no  possibility  of  a 
cessation,  because  the  habit  has  grown  upon  them 
so  long.  Oh  !  the  shamelessness  of  unbelief !  As 
if  Jesus  had  no  power  to  cure  bad  habits  and  make 
a  cleanly  Church !  As  if  His  saints  must  be 
bound  in  chains  of  slavery  to  that  which  makes 
them  unpleasant  and  unprofitable  servants  ! 

Beloved  Christians,  there  is  a  cure  for  such  only 
in  the  wounds  of  Christ.  Let  such  as  have  been 
living  "  half-way  to  Christ,"  strip  themselves  of  all 


14  INTRODUCTORY. 

their  conceit,  and  false  hope,  and  carnal  security, 
and  worldly  ambition,  of  all  their  friends  and  pos- 
sessions, and  lay  these  all  down  at  Jesus'  feet,  that 
they  may  be  clothed  alone  with  His  robe,  and 
show  forth  alone  His  glory,  and  live  entirely  for 
Him.  All  the  way  to  Christ  is  full  salvation^  and 
at  the  greatest  distance  fr 0771  the  world.  '^I  am 
crucified  to  the  world,  and  the  world  is  crucified 
unto  me."  This  latter  condition  is  most  happy. 
It  does  not  depend  upon  the  husks  of  the  world 
for  comfort,  but  lives  on  the  luxuries  of  the  king's 
palace,  the  "  things  which  are  freely  given  to  us  of 
God,"  the  things  of  God's  marvellous  light,  the 
things  of  Christ,  the  "things  which  eye  had  not 
seen  nor  ear  heard,  nor  had  entered  into  the  heart 
of  man." 

IS   THE    CHURCH   AN   HOSPITAL? 

We  have  heard  that  a  certain  divine  once  said 
that  the  Church  is  an  hospital  where  the  inmates 
are  all  sick.  When  they  get  well  they  are  taken 
to  heaven.  The  person  speaking  may  have  be- 
lieved it,  but  we  believe  that  the  sentiment  is  of 
the  devil.  That  is  just  what  Satan  wants  the 
Church  to  believe  concerning  herself,  so  that  she 
will  keep  her  bed,  and  do  nothing  to  save  a  lost 
world.  If  so,  the  pastors  of  the  Church  are  her 
chief  nurses,  sick  themselves,  and  her  theological 
seminaries  are  composed  of  sick  nurses  teaching 


INTRODUCTORY.  1 5 

some  of  the  sick  to  nurse  their  brethren.  Then, 
too,  the  churches  that  are  scattered  here  and  there 
through  the  land  are  only  infirmaries  where  people 
come  to  be  treated  by  the  Great  Physician,  who 
proceeds  to  cure  the  people  by  a  slow  process,  in 
the  meantime  leaving  them  to  the  oversight  of 
these  sick  ministering  nurses. 

The  Church  is  not  an  hospital.  It  is  "the  saved 
community  of  the  King's  children  ;  it  is  the  pecu- 
liar people  of  a  great  High  Priest ;  peculiar  in 
strength  of  endurance,  in  dependence  on  God,  in 
holy  boldness  before  Him,  in  attendance  at  the 
throne  of  grace,  and  in  carrying  the  message  of 
Jesus  to  lost  sinners,  and  that  with  a  power  to 
which  the  world  is  a  stranger.  It  is  the  place  of 
the  blessed  and  omnipotent  Comforter  and  Guide, 
and  Commander  of  our  souls,  who  leads  the  peo- 
ple forth  to  conquest  and  a  crown. 

The  work  of  Christ,  and  the  whole  economy  of 
redemption,  was  conceived  in  infinite  wisdom,  exe- 
cuted in  unsearchable  love,  and  resulted  in  strength 
to  the  lost  and  heavenly  cure  of  all  their  maladies. 
It  may  be  that  many  church-members  are  not  de- 
livered from  the  ritualism  of  social  life,  from  the 
common  forms  of  commercial  dishonesty,  from 
covetousness  which  is  idolatry,  from  evil  habits  of 
anger,  and  unholy  worldliness.  Such,  surely,  are 
either  spiritually  sick  or  spiritually  dead,  but  their 


1 6  INTRODUCTORY. 

condition  does  not  meet  the  design  of  God  in  the 
redemption  of  man,  nor  are  they  to  be  counted  as 
true  members  of  Him  who  said,  ''  By  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them." 


THE  REST  OF  FAITH. 


CHAPTER   I 


Let  the  inquirer  after  holiness  begin  free  from 
these  errors.  His  greatest  need  is  to  be  hid  in 
Christ,  and  therefore  at  the  outset  he  is  to  let  all 
go  for  Jesus.  Suffer  me  to  repeat,  T.et  all  go 
FOR  Jesus.     Tliis  is 

CONSECRATION, 

—  a  complete,  final  yielding  up  of  all  we  have  to 
God,  to  be  succeeded  by  a  continual  remembrance 
that  we  possess  nothing  henceforth  in  our  own 
name.  The  reader  will  see  at  once  the  difference 
between  everything  being  at  God's  disposal,  and 
our  holding  it  so.  He  is  the  Sovereign,  and 
doeth  what  He  will  with  His  own,  but  men  do  not 
always  acknowledge  Him  as  such.  Professing 
Christians  have  often  confessed  that  they  could  not 
say  without  reserve,  "Thy  will  be  done."  But 
anything  short  of  an  entire  surrender  to  God  is 
fatal  to  our  life  in  Christ.  He  must  have  all,  be- 
cause He  cannot  do  anything  with  you  while  you 
2  (17) 


1 8  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

desire  to  keep  back  a  part  of  yourself  or  of  your 
goods. 

For  anything  you  set  your  heart  upon  is  an  idol, 
and  it  cultivates  "  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry," 
thus  keeping  you  most  effectually  in  such  a  state 
that  He  can  do  no  mighty  work  within  you.  This 
demand  for  a  consecration  to  the  full  measure  of 
your  light  is  not  an  arbitrary  rule  of  tyranny,  but 
the  necessary  outgoing  of  pure  love.  God  desires 
to  bless  you,  and  you  can  only  enjoy  a  delightful 
sense  of  His  presence  when  you  know  that  He  is 
your  supreme  good.  Will  you  see  to  it  then  that 
you  have  made  an  unreserved  surrender  to  him  ? 

One  difficulty  to  be  encountered  is  a  certain 
very  plausible  argumentation  on  the  self  side. 
"■  How  can  I  be  sure  that  I  have  given  up  my 
darlings  to  God?"  "  How  can  I  now  place  my- 
self in  the  position  of  one  who  ha^  lost  them,  and 
thus  know  that  I  am  willing  that  they  should  be 
taken  from  me  ?"  In  these  and  the  like  questions 
Satan  gets  advantage,  and  makes  souls  think  they 
cannot  consecrate,  or  that  it  is  useless.  But  we 
can  know  that  we  are  willing  God  should  have  His 
way.  We  can  be  fully  assured  that  we  earnestly 
desire  His  control  of  all  the  circumstances  of  our 
lot,  and  that  we  do  depend  on  His  grace  for  all 
contingencies  that  may  arise. 

Having  this  knowledge,  Jacob  continued  with 
the   Lord.     "  Let  me  go,"  said  He.     "  1  will  not 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  ig 

let  Thee  go  except  Thou  bless  me,"  answered  the 
determined  patriarch.  Now  Jacob  well  knew  Who 
was  dealing  with  him.  He  knew  that  he  might 
come  off  disjointed  from  the  vigorous  grasp  of  this 
mighty  "  Angel  of  the  Covenant,"  But  what  cared 
he  ?  He  gave  his  whole  body  into  His  hands. 
Had  the  Lord  .(for  He  was  none  other)  asked, 
**  Shall  I  maim  you  ?  "  we  can  easily  imagine  Jacob 
answering,  "  Yes,  Lord ;  do  anything  to  me  that 
will  bring  me  into  closer  union  with  Thee,  and 
make  me  more  like  Thee,  and  which  will  help  me 
to  be  ready  for  the  full  communication  of  Thy 
power  to  save." 

If  we  would  have  such  full  salvation,  our  whole 
being  must  be  given  into  the  Lord's  hands,  with  a 
holy  (not  reckless)  carelessness  as  to  what  disposal 
He  shall  make  of  us,  or  of  any  of  our  darlings,  or 
of  our  treasures. 

Beloved,  to  speak  with  deepest  reverence,  God 
must  be  the  Chief  Object  of  our  love.  "  Whom 
have  I  in  Heaven  but  Thee,  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  whom  I  desire  besides  Thee?"  The 
true  love  of  God  transcends  all  other  loves.  It  is 
such  as  finds  the  Chief  Love  left  when  all  others 
are  buried.  Strange  that  any  should  usurp  its 
place !  Our  allowance  of  such  an  anomaly  should 
make  us  afraid  that  we  have  never  tasted  the  love 
of  God  at  all.  For  if  He  be  our  "  One  altogether 
lovely,"  His  utmost  wish  will  be  cheerfully  com- 


20  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

plied  with.  Such  a  full  compliance  is  the  true 
meaning  of  consecration.  This  view  may  cause 
you  to  say,  "Then  I  have  no  religion."  Beloved 
reader,  let  us  entreat  you  to  pursue  the  subject  un- 
til you  are  sure  that  you  have  "  pure  religion  and 
undefiled  before  God."  Be  deeply  humbled  if  you 
are  not  thus  consecrated,  and  do  not  rest  until 
your  doubts  are  entirely  gone.  An  uncertainty  in 
religion  is  infinitely  worse  than  a  bad  title  to 
earthly  property. 

True  consecration,  by  a  thorough  yielding  to 
God  of  all  we  have,  and  are,  and  expect  to  be ;  of 
our  time,  past,  present,  and  future  (we  say  past 
time,  for  there  are  many  who  secretly  wish  for  a 
return  of  past  surroundings),  settles  all  questions  in 
favor  of  the  full  control  of  God  in  all  the  concerns 
of  our  life  ;  and  in  favor  of  His  regulation,  as  to 
time,  place,  and  manner,  of  all  the  circumstances 
connected  with  them.  We  thus  become  as  little 
children,  whose  all  is  in  their  parents,  and  from 
thence  also  their  confident  expectation  of  supply, 
of  protection,  and  hearty  love. 

Just  here  is  rest,  and  only  here.  It  is  the  rest 
that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God.  Such  rest 
from  all  anxiety,  fear,  and  woe  follows,  because  we 
have  nothing  to  care  for  but  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ,  which  is  the  sweet  anxiety  of  the  heavenly 
Church. 

We  are  full  well  aware  that  many  smile  at  this 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  21 

unearthly  simplicity,  and  that  many  are  ready  to 
question  us  upon  the  probable  condition  of  the 
world  if  every  one  should  take  the  same  course. 
Where  would  the  great  men,  where  the  rich,  be 
found ;  and  who  would  rule  the  world  ?  These 
questions  would  be  triumphantly  met  by  a  genera- 
tion of  Christrans  like  Mary,  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
The  Great  Redeemer  and  Sovereign  of  the  world. 
It  would  be  like  Adam  in  Eden,  for  all  he  had 
was  God's;  but  full  salvation  from  sin  through  the 
Blood  of  the  Lamb,  though  it  may  want  some  of 
the  peculiarities  of  Adam's  condition,  is  yet  better 
than  Eden.     Praise  ye  the  Lord. 

Ye  souls  that  are  burdened,  careworn,  and 
*' wondering  where  the  scene  will  end,"  here  is 
rest,  at  Jesus'  feet.  When  you  are  not  your  own 
but  His,  when  you  let  Him  in  to  cast  each  worth- 
less idol  out,  and  to  cast  out  all  that  offends  Him, 
He  will  take  care  of  His  own ;  He  will  do  what 
you  desire  of  Him.  He  will  give  you  rest  from 
those  severe  inward  struggles  in  which  too  long  you 
have  sought  to  be  your  own  deliverer,  or  partially 
such.  God  shall  cause  you  always  to  "  triumph  in 
Christ,"  both  over  foes  \vithin  and  without. 

This  is  a  rest  in  His  will.  You  desire  nothing 
outside  of  that ;  you  are  conscious  of  its  precious- 
ness  to  your  soul ;  you  are  grounded  in  the  love  of 
it  as  the  measure  of  all  things  affecting  your  whole 
being. 


22  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

It  is  a  rest  in  His  providence.  There  is  no 
leaping  over  that  gracious  superintendence,  nor  is 
there  any  desire  to  do  it.  The  soul  learns,  in  what- 
soever state  it  is,  therewith  to  be  content.  A  crust 
with  Christ  is  better  than  the  feasts  of  kings,  and 
prisons  prove  palaces.  "December's  as  pleasant 
as  May,"  and  there  are  no  ''  miserable  days."  His 
especial  guidance  is  as  real  to  your  consciousness 
as  the  hand  of  a  parent  leading  his  child. 

It  is  a  rest  in  the  authority  of  His  word.  "  To 
the  law  and  to  the  testimony,"  saith  the  soul.  This 
decides  questions  at  once,  without  any  reasoning 
from  personal,  or  public,  or  social  considerations. 

It  is  a  rest  in  the  prevaiHng  power  of  His  in- 
dwelling Spirit.  We  know  that  He  can  and  that 
He  does  turn  out  His  enemies  and  ours.  With 
confidence  we  look  to  Him  for  the  continual 
energy  which  shall  lift  us  above  the  vain  world  and 
all  it  holds.  We  are  assured  that  our  desires  to  be 
God-like  are  granted  in  the  measure  of  our  capa- 
city, nor  do  we  believe  that  He  will  rest  in  His 
work.     It  shall  go  on  "  perfecting  holiness." 

Here  is  rest  in  praises,  in  activities  for  God,  for 
which  under  the  old  life  we  found  no  time  or  in- 
clination. Life  itself  becomes  a  "  doxology  of 
praise."  The  difficulty  with  most  is  that  they  are 
not  willing  to  give  over  everything  into  the  hands 
of  God.  They  say  it  cannot  be  done  ;  but  this  is 
because  they  do  not  want  to  do  it.     They  want  to 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  23 

keep  their  business,  they  desire  to  command  their 
own  supplies,  they  would  choose  their  earthly  en- 
joyments, they  cannot  put  their  riches  under  the 
control  of  God,  they  crave  even  just  a  little  honor. 
Therefore  they  cannot  enter  into  rest.  This  is 
the  standing  and  stubborn  objection  to  the  higher 
Christian  life  of  which  I  write.  They  cannot  "look 
unto  Jesus  with  a  single  eye,"  and  keep  their 
earthly  all,  for  self. 

Consecration  is  not  only  a  passive  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  right  of  the  Lord  to  all  we  have.  It  is, 
as  we  have  already  seen,  an  active  casting  of  all  our 
energies  into  the  work  of  God.  "I  beseech  you, 
therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye 
present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice^  holy,  accepta- 
ble unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service." 
Our  all  to  God,  our  all  with  Jesus,  our  life  to  be 
with  Him  in  the  precious  Yoke  of  His  service. 

Jesus  said,  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn 
of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls  ;  for  my  yoke  is  easy 
and  my  burden  is  light."  But  you  ask  Him,  "Who 
shall  be  in  this  yoke  with  me  ?  I  cannot  work  with 
every  one,  even  though  I  might  love  every  one." 
Be  still,  soul !  Do  not  be  too  quick  to  commit 
yourself  to  error.  Can  you  not  be  in  the  yoke  with 
Jesus  Christ  ?  He  bore  the  yoke  for  you,  when  you 
could  not  even  have  stood  near.  "  His  disciples 
forsook  Him  and  fled."     But  the  Eternal  Spirit  was 


24  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

with  Him  then,  and  in  that  glorious  Paraclete  He 
obtained  a  comforter  for  His  disciples  of  all  ages,  to 
the  end  of  the  world.  The  Yokefellow  who  strength- 
ened Jesus  to  bear  the  cross,  now  is  the  continual 
attendant  of  Jesus  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise, 
"  I  will  be  with  you  always."  And  now  Jesus  says, 
*'  Take  my  yoke  upon  you."  He  puts  us  in  with 
no  other,  other  than  Himself.  He  is  the  meek  and 
lowly  One  with  whom  we  are  to  work,  and  by 
whom  we  are  to  pattern. 

If  in  the  yoke  with  Jesus,  our  work  shall  look  like 
His  work,  and,  amazing  thought.  He  will  own  our 
work  as  fully  acceptable  to  Himself  Is  it  possible 
that  any  are  desirous  to  get  out  of  the  yoke  of  Jesus, 
or  that  any  who  profess  to  be  His  are  doubtful 
about  the  easiness  of  His  yoke?  Jesus  says, 
"  Come  unto  me."  He  means,  "  Believe  in  me,  trust 
in  me  ;  by  believing  fasten  yourself  to  me,  that  you 
may  be  with  me  and  I  with  you  forever."  Does 
your  heart  say,  "  O  Jesus  !  why  art  Thou  so  distant 
from  me  ?  "  Stop  a  moment  and  listen  to  Him. 
You  are  in  too  great  haste  to  charge  Him  foolishly. 
He  is  not  distant  from  you,  but  you  keep  at  a  dis- 
tance from  Him.  He  asks  you  to  take  His  yoke. 
You  profess  to  be  very  willing  to  take  it,  and  you 
think  you  have  it  on  you,  but  it  galls  and  frets  you, 
and  you  are  wondering  what  can  be  the  reason. 
We  can  easily  tell  you,  for  he  says  His  yoke  is  easy ; 
and  He  does  not  lie.     His  words  are  the  essence 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  2$ 

of  tmth.  Your  difficulty  is,  that  you  are  not  fully 
under  the  yoke.  It  is  the  end  of  the  yoke  that  galls 
your  neck  and  frets  your  soul.  He  continues  ask- 
ing you  to  come,  and  you  just  come  far  enough  to 
get  the  name  of  the  yoke  upon  you,  but  not  far 
enough  to  be  fastened  in  with  Jesus.  You  desire 
Jesus,  but  you  desire  a  little  of  your  own  way.  You 
look  to  Jesus,  and  you  look  a  little  to  the  world 
also.  You  love  Jesus,  but  you  have  not  entirely 
put  off  the  love  of  self,  and  ease,  and  worldly  com- 
panions, and  dress,  and  show.  No  wonder  the  yoke 
of  Jesus  is  hard  to  you,  and  it  will  be  harder  still. 
And  more  than  that,  Jesus  condemns  all  such  unbe- 
lief. "  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me,  and 
he  that  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth  abroad." 
"Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon." 

Now  it  may  look  well  to  the  world  that  you  are 
come  so  near  to  Jesus  as  to  feel  His  yoke  upon 
your  neck,  but  imagine  what  Jesus  must  say  while 
you  only  stand  with  the  end  of  the  yoke  fretting 
you.  He  tells  you  that  does  not  help  the  work  at 
all.  There  He  stands,  meek  and  lowly,  and  so 
patient  with  you  too.  Do  not  stand  off  so.  Fall 
at  once  under  the  yoke  and  learn  of  Him.  He  is 
meek  and  lowly,  and  will  show  you  in  His  yoke^ 
not  out  of  it,  His  own  blessedness.  "  Come  in  with 
me,"  He  says,  "  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls."  The  moment  that  your  neck  falls  into 
the  right  place  of  the  yoke  of  Jesus,  you  will  find 


26  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

complete  rest,  fretting  will  cease,  and  joy  shall 
abound  in  your  once  doubting,  halting  soul.  For 
you  shall  be  yoked  in  with  Jesus,  in  a  sweet,  abid- 
ing, soul-enrapturing  union.  Sweet  shall  be  His 
words  unto  you  —  yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  your 
mouth.  Your  fellowship  shall  be  with  the  Father, 
and  with  His  Son  Jesus  Christ.  Truly,  "great  is 
the  mystery  of  godliness."  The  Holy  "  Word  was 
made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  we  beheld  His 
glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth."  And  now  "He  dwelleth 
with  us  and  shall  be  in  us,"  by  His  Holy  Spirit. 
Now,  ye  that  are  yoked  with  Christ  may  well  rejoice, 
**  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out 
of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ." 

In  this  pleasing  yoke  of  union  and  of  fellowship 
with  Christ  Jesus  we  may  fully  lean  up  against  Him. 
In  this  case,  yoking  means  resting  —  resting  in  labor 
and  in  care.  Let  your  feet  walk  only,  and,  resting 
on  Him,  leaning  up  against  Him,  as  a  tender  hus- 
band, He  shall  cherish  you,  so  that  the  labor  shall 
only  do  you  good  and  comfort  you,  and  you  shall 
wish  to  continue  in  the  precious  walk  of  faith. 
Your  clothes  shall  not  wax  old  upon  you,  and  your 
shoe  shall  not  wax  old  upon  your  foot,  and  your 
feet  shall  not  swell.  Blessed  union !  Precious 
Jesus,  Companion  of  the  way  !  What  freedom  is  like 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  27 

this  ?  In  peace  like  a  river,  in  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory,  in  glowing  courage,  in  glorious  inde- 
pendence, we  may  gladly  take  our  place  under  the 
yoke  of  Christ,  for  He  shall  make  us  free  with  His 
own  liberty.  We  shall  go  where  He  goes,  whose 
track  is  in  all  the  universe,  and  whose  grace  reveals 
the  glory  of  eternal  triumph.  If  we  are  truly  in- 
yoked  with  Jesus,  His  cause  and  ours  one,  our  life 
hid  with  His,  how  shall  the  voice  of  Jesus  be  heard 
in  His  truth,  how  shall  His  strength  be  perfected  in 
our  weakness.  His  virtues  cover  all  our  natural  de- 
formities, and  His  life  appear  in  all  our  acts  ?  What 
language  shall  express  our  sacred  pleasures?  The 
very  yoke  will  be  delightful,  and  the  burden  shall 
be  pleasing.  Lonely  fellowship  with  Jesus  shall 
show  to  us,  and  cause  the  truth  to  be  seen  by  others 
in  our  life,  even  the  truth  spoken  by  His  own  sweet 
lips  —  "I  am  come  that  they  might  have  life,  and 
that  they  might  have  it  more  abundantly." 

Are  you,  precious  soul,  under  the  yoke  of  Christ  ? 
Tender  and  surpassing  is  the  full  consciousness  of 
that  position. 


28  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 


CHAPTER  11. 

CAN     I     B  E     HOLY  ? 

"  My  soul  longs  to  have  power  over  sin,  and  to 
be  free  from  it.  Tell  me,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  Can 
I  be  holy  f' 

Yes,  beloved,  surely  you  can.  Otherwise  the 
glorious  God  of  our  salvation  would  not  have  com- 
manded you  to  be  holy.  He  commands  what  He 
has  made  full  provision  for  you  to  perform.  There 
is  not,  there  cannot  be,  a  felt  want  of  your  renewed 
nature  which  lacks  supply,  for  He  "  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  we  ask  or  think." 
And  that  He  is  willing^  His  ability,  so  declared,  is 
full  proof.  But  besides,  He  has  said,  "  Ask  what 
ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you."  '■'■How 
much  more  shall  your  Father  give  The  Holy  Spirit 
to  them  that  ask  Him."  Now  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
given  "  without  measure "  to  Christ.  For  what  is 
this  especial  mention  made,  when  Jesus  already 
possessed  Him  in  inseparable  relationship,  but  that 
His  body,  the  Church,  "the  fulness  of  Him  that 
filleth  all  in  all,"  might  "  out  of  His  fulness  receive 
grace  for  grace,"  might  "  be  filled  with  all  the  ful- 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  29 

ness  of  God,"  and  thus  be  possessed  of  this  change- 
less demand  of  the  regenerate  soul,  entire  holiness  ? 

Oh,  the  wiliness  of  the  devil !  He  has  succeeded 
in  making  the  ways  of  Zion  desolate ;  bringing  in 
unbelief  like  a  flood,  by  proving  falsely  to  God's 
people  that  the  habit  of  sinning  must  be  an  essen- 
tial accompaniment  of  their  humanity,  even  after 
Christ  redeems  them. 

I.  We  invite  the  reader,  in  answer  to  the  above 
question,  to  the  fact  that  God  designed  for  His 
Church,  in  this  Gospel  dispensation,  a 

PERPETUAL    PASSOVER    FEAST. 

"  Purge  out,  therefore,  the  old  leaven,  that  ye 
may  be  a  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.  For 
even  Christ  our  Passover  is  crucified  for  us ;  there- 
fore let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  nei- 
ther with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but 
with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth." 
—  I  Cor.  V.  7,  8. 

The  Corinthian  Church  seems  to  have  been  very 
corrupt,  even  at  the  early  date  of  Paul's  writing.  He 
was  careful  to  warn  them,  and  to  exercise  toward 
them  his  apostolic  authority.  For  some  reason, 
])ossibly  the  prominent  position  or  wealth  of  the 
offender,  they  had  not  mourned  over  a  very  grave 
sin  committed  ;  they  had  not  brought  the  offender 
to  discipline,  but  they  had  permitted  him  to  retain 
his  place  in  the  Church,  and  had  even  taken  pleas- 


3©  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

ure  in  his  company.  The  Apostle  exhorts  them  in 
the  fact  which  he  presents,  that  a  ''  Httle  leaven 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump." 

This  thought  takes  him  back  to  the  Jewish  Pass- 
over, and  he  urges  them  to  act  in  consistency  with 
the  Passover  character  which  they  now  sustain.  For 
he  here  gives  them  an  extensive  hint,  that  though 
they  are  not  Jews,  they  yet  have  come  to  a  Pass- 
over feast,  which  provides  greater  inducements  to 
holy  living  than  the  Jews  ever  knew. 

These  hints  are  contained  in  the  passage  above 
cited.  The  Jews  put  away  all  leaven  from  their 
houses  during  the  celebration  of  the  Passover. 
Here  is  the  command  of  God  upon  this  subject : 
"  Seven  days  shall  ye  eat  unleavened  bread  ;  even 
the  first  day  ye  shall  put  away  leaven  out  of  your 
houses  :  for  whosoever  eateth  leavened  bread  from 
the  first  day  until  the  seventh  day,  that  soul  shall  be 
cut  off  from  Israel."  —  Ex.  xii.  15.  "Unleavened 
bread  shall  be  eaten  seven  days  ;  and  there  shall 
no  leavened  bread  be  seen  with  thee,  neither  shall 
there  be  leaven  seen  with  thee  in  all  thy  quarters." 
—  Ex.  xiii.  7. 

Our  Saviour  used  the  word  leaven  as  indicative  of 
the  wrong  doctrines  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 
(Matt.  xvi.  6,  12).  "  Jesus  said  unto  them,  '  Take 
heed,  and  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees.' "  And  after  His  explanations, 
"  Then  understood  they  how  that  He  bade  them 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  3 1 

not  beware  of  the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees." 

The  Lord  Jesus  by  this  word  leaven  also  alluded 
to  the  hypocritical  practices  of  the  Pharisees  :  "  He 
began  to  say  unto  His  disciples  first  of  all,  '  Beware 
of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy.'  " 
—  Luke  xii.  i. 

Now  the  Apostle  Paul,  having  referred  to  a  spe- 
cific case  of  flagrant  crime  in  the  Church,  as  a 
leaven  of  wickedness  which  would  soon  leaven  the 
whole  lump,  exhorts  the  Church,  by  the  practice  of 
casting  out  leaven  from  the  houses  of  the  Jews  at 
the  Passover  feast,  to  "  purge  out  the  old  leaven," 
in  the  person  of  the  offender,  that  they  may  be  a 
new  lump,  and  unleavened  with  sin,  "  Therefore 
put  away  from  yourselves  that  wicked  person."  — 
Ver.  13. 

The  Gospel  Churchy  composed  of  those  who  pro- 
fess faith  in  Christ,  is  supposed  to  be  the  7iew  lump, 
free  from  that  old  leaven  of  sin,  and,  like  the  bread 
at  the  Passover,  without  leaven,  ready  to  be  scruti- 
nized by  Him  who  had  forbidden  any  leaven  at  His 
solemn  feast.  "  Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not 
with  old  leaven  [such  as  they  had  among  the  Jewish 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees],  Jteither  with  the  leaven 
of  malice  and  wickedness  [with  which  the  world 
abounds],  but  with  the  unleavened  (bread)  of  sin- 
cerity and  truth." 

The  word  translated  sincerity  has  reference  to  its 


32  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

inspection.  Its  strict  meaning  is  — "judged  of  in 
the  sunlight,"  and  signifies  "  such  a  purity  and 
whiteness  as  will  bear  the  closest  examination,  like 
that  of  an  article  inspected  in  the  full  light  of  the 
sun."  —  (Bloomfield.)  As  if  the  Apostle  had  said, 
"  The  old  leaven  of  sin,  insincerity,  want  of  upright- 
ness, belonged  to  the  old  dispensation,  before  Christ 
came,  when  they  lived  in  spiritual  twilight,  and  did 
not  have  freest  access  to  the  holiest  by  the  blood 
of  the  Antitype  Paschal  Lamb." 

But  we  have  come  to  a  new  passover,  a  perpet- 
ual FEAST  OF  FULL  REDEMPTION.  Christ,  our  Sac- 
rificed Passover,  is  now  to  be  eaten  by  a  living 
faith,  and  you  are  to  be  in  Him,  free  from  those 
things  for  which  they  had  any  shadow  of  excuse  in 
the  old  Jewish  and  imperfect  dispensation  of  types 
and  shadows.  Let  us  keep  this  life-long  feast,  there- 
fore, in  shining  characters,  in  clean  garments,  in 
Gospel  righteousness. 

Beloved  reader,  how  are  you  partaking  this  New 
Testament  Passover?  Christ  is  the  last  Paschal 
Lamb,  and  as  they  were  required  to  eat  the  whole 
lamb  at  the  Passover  feast,  so  are  we  to  feast  on 
Christ.  As  they  ate  the  whole  lamb,  let  us  derive 
our  life  from  all  the  offices  of  Christ,  and  every 
be7iefit  of  his  death.  Nothing  of  what  Christ  has 
done  is  to  be  passed  by.  He  died  to  save  us  from 
all  leaven  of  sin,  that  it  might  be  rooted  out  and 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 


33 


cast  away,  and  that  our  lives  might  shine  with  His 
holiness. 

Any  other  view  deprives  the  Church  of  the  full 
benefit  of  His  death  ;  destroys  the  Passover  char- 
acter of  the  present  dispensation,  and  cultivates  a 
fearful  form  of  unbelief,  which  must  inevitably  end 
in  the  amalgamation  of  the  Church  with  the  world. 
Let  us  eat  the  slain  Lamb,  by  living  faith  in  His 
merits  and  finished  work,  and  so  enjoy  heaven  upon 
earth.     For  such  is  this  feast. 

THE    GOSPEL   CHURCH    HAS    COME    TO   A   PERPETUAL 
PASSOVER    FEAST. 

This  is  the  position  in  which  we  stand  to-day. 
We  are  not  of  the  Jewish  race,  bound  down  to  cer- 
emonies, and  looking  forward  to  an  unseen  Christ. 
"  For  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might  be 
touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  tempest,  and  the  sound  of 
a  trumpet,  and  the  voice  of  words ;  which  voice 
they  that  heard  entreated  that  the  word  should  not 
be  spoken  to  them  any  more  (for  they  could  not  en- 
dure that  which  was  commanded.  And  so  terrible 
was  the  sight,  that  Moses  said,  I  exceedingly  fear 
and  quake)  ;  but  ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zion, 
and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the 
first-bom,  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God 
8 


34  THE   REST   OF    FAITH. 

the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cov- 
enant, and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh 
better  things  than  that  of  Abel." 

Yes,  the  holy  Passover  of  the  Gospel  dispensa- 
tion long  since  commenced.  Proclaim  it  on  every 
house-top  that  the  Paschal  Lamb  has  been  slain, 
that  He  has  been  slain  for  us.  At  the  feast  of  the 
Passover  they  killed  a  lamb  in  each  family  (or  if 
any  could  not  get  a  lamb,  they  killed  a  kid).  If  a 
lamb  was  too  much  for  one  family  to  eat,  two  fami-* 
lies  could  associate  together.  With  the  blood  of 
this  lamb  the  door-posts  were  sprinkled,  that  the 
destroying  angel  might  pass  over  the  place  —  it 
being  understood  that  in  every  house  where  the 
door-post  was  not  so  sprinkled  the  destroying  angel 
would  take  the  first-born.  These  lambs  were  many. 
Jesus  is  the  last  Paschal  Lamb.  Once,  and  once 
for  all,  He  suffered  that  He  might  bring  us  to  God. 
He  set  up  a  memorial  feast,  which  was  to  endure 
for  all  time,  in  remembrance  of  Himself;  and  now 
it  stands  a  constant  witness  to  the  world,  saying  in 
language  which  cannot  be  mistaken,  "  Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world."  The  promise,  and  the  invitation  of  the 
Passover  feast,  to  come  and  be  saved  from  the 
general  destruction,  are  placed  everywhere  through- 
out the  whole  world,  so  that  he  who  runs  may  read. 

To  this  Passover  feast  every  believer  in  Jesus  has 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  35 

been  freely  invited,  and  has  come,  that  he  may  join 
in  the  solemnities  of  the  great  redemption.  "  Let 
us  keep  the  feast,"  says  the  Apostle.  "  Let  us  keep 
the  feast,"  said  Luther  and  they  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. And  so  it  comes  through  the  ages,  until  we 
have  taken  up  the  strain,  and  we  now  say  to  each 
other  in  holy  fellowship  of  love,  "  Let  us  keep  the 
feast."  What  feast  ?  This  life-feast  of  the  Gospel 
Church,  this  amazing  life  of  feeding  upon  Jesus.  Is 
not  that  ^  feast  "i 

We  should  well  understand  the  nature  of  this 
ordination  of  God  for  our  life.  Let  us  remark  that 
this  perpetual  Passover  — 

I.  Is  a  feast  of  abounding  love.  ^'  Herein  is 
love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  He  loved  us, 
and  gave  His  Son  to  die  for  us."  Here  we  stop  a 
moment  and  ask,  "  What  can  we  know  of  this  love  ? 
What  more  than  the  mighty  fact  ?  God  has  written 
it ;  we  have  experienced  it ;  it  has  been  welling  up 
in  our  souls  a  living  stream  these  years,  and  we 
know  it  as  the  most  prominent  fact  of  our  lives,  that 
the  love  of  God  towards  us  passes  all  description. 
It  has  been  written  many  times  that  God  loved  us, 
but  His  highest  exhibition  was  written  in  the  blood 
of  His  Son.  Christ  is  the  loving  Lamb.  You  can- 
not see  Him  as  He  was  with  His  Father  ere  time 
began.  You  cannot  see  Him  taking  human  flesh 
in  deep  humiliations,  even  down  to  the  fierce  as- 
saults of  the  arch-adversary.     You  cannot  see  Him 


36  THE   REST   OF    FAITH. 

in  the  awful  trials  of  Gethsemane,  nor  in  the  deser- 
tion of  His  Father's  face.  But  these  are  living  facts 
in  His  life.  He  chose  the  suffering  which  should 
make  you  free,  and  give  your  ransomed  spirit  rest  on 
earth  and  in  heaven.  Lo\se  made  the  choice,  love 
took  the  steps  in  the  mighty  sacrifice,  love  refused 
to  be  free  from  the  dreadful  load,  love  uttered  the 
cry,  "  It  is  finished,"  and  filled  heaven  with  its  own 
results,  as  lasting  as  eternity,  and  more  glorious  than 
Eden.  These  are  things  of  every-day  rejoicing  now  ! 
The  common  faith  enjoys  a  common  love,  called 
common  from  its  free  extension,  and  its  extensive 
reach,  but  unheard  of,  unthought  of,  unconceived, 
except  in  the  place  of  its  holy  origin,  the  mind  of 
the  eternal  God  ;  impossible  in  any  place  of  all 
His  universe  beside.  Glory  !  hallelujah  !  Let  love 
reurn  its  free  doxologies,  and  the  believer's  life  pro- 
claim them  in  holy  devotion  to  the  Lord,  the  Lamb. 
2.  Our  perpetual  Passover,  in  which  the  elect  of 
God  are  now  engaged,  is  a  feast  of  security.  This 
was  the  peculiarity  of  the  ceremonial  observance  of 
the  Passover  by  the  Jews.  While  all  the  surround- 
ing Egyptians  were  filled  with  grief  over  the  death 
of  their  choice  treasures  in  children,  the  people 
of  Israel  and  of  God  were  rejoicing  with  peculiar 
gladness,  not  only  in  the  freedom,  but  in  the  miracle 
by  which  it  came  to  pass.  It  was  a  season  of  pecu- 
liar security.  Great  must  have  been  their  gratitude 
as  they  looked  upon  their  first-born.     We  may  im- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  37 

agine  the  pious  father  fondly  eying  his  boy,  who 
had  been  spared  to  him  by  the  special  interposition 
of  the  Divine  Hand,  his  heart  and  his  eyes  filling 
with  emotions  which  choked  his  utterance.  "  My 
saved  boy  !  "  he  cries  ;  "  but  for  the  mercy  of  God 
specially  interposed,  this  house  would  to-day  be 
filled  with  grief  almost  beyond  endurance.  Listen 
to  the  wails  of  the  poor  afflicted  families  of  the 
land,  and  think,  my  son,"  he  says,  "  of  thyself,  lest 
thou  shouldst  presumptuously  sin  against  the  Lord, 
and  bring  upon  thyself  swift  vengeance." 

Beloved  brethren,  it  is  a  fact  which  must  not  be 
forgotten,  that  the  destroying  angel  has  passed  over 
us  —  yea,  that  he  has  no  power  over  us  who  believe 
in  Jesus,  unless  we  turn  away  from  Him  in  wicked- 
ness. "  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity 
of  God  :  on  them  which  fell,  severity ;  but  toward 
thee,  goodness  if  thou  continue  in  His  goodness : 
otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut  off"  They  are  se- 
cure who  believe  in  Jesus,  who  are  touched  with 
His  blood,  who  eat  the  Paschal  Lamb.  For,  as  we 
have  before  seen  from  the  Scriptures,  they  ate  the 
lamb  which  they  killed  and  whose  blood  was  on 
the  door-posts.  They  were  forbidden  to  leave  it 
untouched  ;  they  were  to  eat  it  all  up,  and  leave 
none.  We  are  to  eat  Jesus.  We  are  to  leave  none 
of  His  offices,  or  of  the  benefits  of  His  covenant, 
unappropriated.  He  cannot  be  received  in  part, 
nor  will  it  do  simply  to  appropriate  His  blood  as 


38  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

our  redemption,  and  then  forget  our  living  union 
with  Himself,  and  leave  uncultivated  that  heavenly- 
relationship  which  binds  us  by  faith  to  the  eternal 
God.  In  other  words,  our  faith  is  to  accept  Jesus 
Christ  for  everything ;  to  hold  on  to  Him  for  every- 
thing in  the  present  and  in  the  future.  And  he  who 
thus  appropriates  Jesus  in  his  daily  living ;  to  whom 
Jesus  is  a  constant,  and  everlasting,  and  soul-ab- 
sorbing portion ;  to  whom  Jesus  is  the  external  price 
for  salvation,  and  the  inworking  power  of  it  in  his 
soul  —  this  man,  who  looks  unto  Jesus  to  do  every- 
thing for  him,  even  to  the  moulding  of  his  daily 
thoughts  —  this  man,  to  whom  communion  with 
Jesus  is  heaven  —  this  one,  to  whom  life  with  Jesus 
is  a  deep-flowing  river  of  peace  and  joy  beyond  all 
earthly  comforts,  and  compared  with  which  every 
amusement  of  the  vain  and  giddy  throng  sinks  into 
indescribable  littleness  and  vanity  —  this  man  is  as 
secure  as  though  he  had  passed  the  portals  of  bliss. 
His  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  He  has  com- 
menced the  joy  of  heaven.  He  shall  n^t  be  disap- 
pointed. The  word  of  the  Lord  has  passed  upon 
him,  that  he  shall  belong  to  Him  in  the  day  when 
He  maketh  up  His  jewels.  Ye  little  pilgrims,  who 
are  called  foolish  by  the  world  because  ye  have 
chosen  the  way  of  childlike  trust,  because  ye  are 
walking  so  softly  lest  ye  might  fail  to  hear  some  of 
the  whisperings  of  the  still  small  voice  of  the  prec- 
ious Holy  Ghost !  ye  Marys,  who  have  chosen  less 


THE    REST   OF   FAITH.  39 

of  show  and  more  of  Christ,  who  will  not  be  dis- 
engaged from  His  charms  for  all  the  extra  prepar- 
ations of  a  happy  worldly  life  !  ye  who  choose  the 
cross  of  holy  denial  for  Jesus'  sake  !  ye  who  pant 
for  more  of  Him,  ye  who  cry  from  real  hungering 
after  Jesus,  — 

"  Give  me  Thyself!    From  every  boast, 
From  every  wish  set  free, 
Let  all  I  am  in  Thee  be  lost, 
But  give  Thyself  to  me  !  " 

Happy,  happy  band  !  How  shall  I  speak  of  your 
heavenly  security  !  How  shall  we  make  mention 
of  the  faithfulness  of  God,  which  shall  assuredly 
bring  us  in  "through  the  gates  into  the  city,"  never- 
more to  go  out !  Already  hath  He  given  to  us 
everlasting  life,  nor  shall  we  ever  perish,  nor  shall 
any  be  able  to  pluck  us  out  of  our  Saviour's  or 
His  Father's  hand.  Men  may  hate  ;  devils  may 
madly  rage  ;  but  the  vengeance  they  swear  shall 
be  as  the  morning  cloud  and  as  the  early  dew  — 
■for  ere'  tlfeir  hand  can  raise  itself  against  us,  they 
shall  cry  in  pain  and  in  the  confusion  of  vanquished 
and  tortured  prisoners,  "  What  have  we  to  do  with 
thee,  thou  Son  of  God  ?  art  thou  come  to  torment 
us  before  the  time?"  And  this  because  His  blood 
is  upon  the  door-posts  of  our  heart.  He  has  made 
entrance  into  our  hearts  as  His  own  palace,  because 
His  blood  was  there.  And  will  He,  keeper  and 
Lord  of  the  same,  who  once  turned  out  the  money- 


40  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

changers  from  our  souls,  that  we  might  be  clean 
for  His  own  abode, — will  He  deliver  them  over  to 
Satan  ?  Are  not  our  hearts  His  heaven  ?  and  will 
He  let  Satan  do  anything  in  heaven  ? 

"  Rejoice,  believer  in  the  Lord, 

Who  makes  your  cause  His  own  ; 
The  hope  that's  built  upon  His  word 
Can  ne'er  be  overthrown." 

Christ,  our  Passover,  is  slain  that  we  might  feast  on 
His  abounding  love,  and  be  secure  in  the  posses- 
sion of  that  heavenly  inheritance  of  which  we  have 
had  so  many  and  so  sweet  foretastes,  by  the  bap- 
tisms of  the  heavenly  Paraclete,  the  Holy  Ghost. 

3.  It  is  a  feast  of  the  New  Lump.  The  old  leaven 
was  put  out  of  the  houses  of  the  Jews  far  away  from 
sight  and  sense  of  it.  It  was  a  feast  of  unleavened 
bread.  The  old  leaven  of  sin  is  now  gone.  We  are 
called  sinners  no  longer,  but  now  are  called  by  that 
memorial  name,  memorial  of  our  ruin  and  of  our 
rescue,  "  Sinners  Saved."  Sinners  in  memory  and 
in  confessions  from  the  past,  saved  in  present  real- 
izations of  His  grace,  by  whose  power  "  we  may 
live  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  Him  all  the 
days  of  our  life."  We  were  once  unrighteous,  and 
among  those  who  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.  "But  we  are  washed,  but  we  are  sanctified, 
but  we  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God."  Heavy  is  the  guilt 
of  him  who,  having  received  this  grace  of  Christ, 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  4I 

goes  back  to  the  beggarly  elements  of  a  worldly 
life,  or  who  knowingly  and  wilfully  sins  in  the 
transgression  of  the  law  of  God.  We  belong  to  the 
new  lump,  as  we  are  unleavened.  "  Old  things  have 
passed  away,  behold  all  things  have  become  new." 
"  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature." 
Because  Christ  could  not  dwell  with  the  old  crea- 
ture of  sin  and  of  damnable  doings. 

And  what  is  this  new  lump  ?  It  is  the  people  free 
from  old  sins,  which  acted  as  leaven,  now  with  the 
old  leaven  cast  out  to  keep  the  feast  (which  is  per- 
petual), with  sincerity  and  truth,  or  in  such  a  way 
that  they  can  be  scrutinized.  The  unleavened  bread 
used  at  the  Passover  was  a  symbol  of  the  condition 
and  actions  of  the  people,  and  hence  the  ancient 
passover  was  a  feast  of  entire  separation  from  the 
surrounding  world.  They  were  free  as  the  bread 
they  ate,  from  all  relationship  to  the  citizens  of  other 
states.  They  were  peculiarly  set  apart,  and  did 
peculiarly  set  themselves  apart  as  the  people  of 
God.  When  they  left  Egypt  they  partook  of  the 
Passover  with  their  sandals  fastened  to  their  feet, 
and  their  clothing  already  adjusted  for  their  journey 
to  the  promised  land. 

They  were  in  haste  to  get  away,  and  had  no  time 
for  leavening  their  bread.  Is  it  not  so  with  the  no- 
bler race  of  the  children  of  Abraham  by  faith  ?  Is 
not  a  soul  for  glory  really  bound,  free  from  any  re- 
lationship with  the  ungodly  world  ?    Free  from  its 


42  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

lightness  and  vanity  ?  Free  to  study  the  holy  oracles 
of  God,  in  deep  solemnity^  away  from  the  mirthful 
rounds  of  those  who  seek  and  find  their  portion  here 
below  ?  Is  not  such  a  soul  in  haste  to  get  away  from 
the  ungodly  and  from  the  charms  that  chain  to  earth 
and  sense  ?  Have  such  as  are  truly  born  of  God 
time  to  stop  for  a  little  leavening  of  the  world  which 
they  may  mix  with  the  holy  charms  of  their  Christ 
life  ?  No,  no.  The  oil  of  heavenly  grace  and  the 
water  from  earthly  streams  will  not  mingle.  Christ, 
and  His  Word,  and  His  ordinances.  His  Blood,  and 
His  Holy  Spirit,  and  His  living  intercessions.  His 
death,  and  His  hidden  life  for  the  Church,  and  His 
awfully  solemn  eternity,  as  established  in  a  spiritual 
and  holy  life,  will  not  agree  with  the  petit  questions 
of  a  butterfly  life. 

Beloved,  we  who  do  trust  the  Lord  Jesus  with  the 
simplest  faith  are  living  a  Passover  life.  We  are 
having  a  holy  feast  of  entire  separation,  sojourners 
in  a  strange  land,  as  all  our  fathers  were.  We  are 
of  the  new  lump.  They  tell  us  that  Christians  can- 
not be  scrutinized.  Well,  then,  they  cannot  belong 
to  the  new  lump.  They  are  not  the  proper  par- 
takers of  the  Paschal  Lamb.  For  none  such  could 
partake  as  were  in  any  way  disqualified.  Our  holy 
profession  is  an  invitation  to  men  to  see  if  we  for- 
sake the  Lord.  And  they  are  most  miserably  de- 
ceived who  profess  to  belong  to  the  new  lump 
when  they  cherish  the  old  leaven.    Not  so,  friends  ! 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  43 

You  are  most  miserably  deceived.  "  The  God  of 
this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which 
believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of 
Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto 
them."  —  2  Cor.  iv.  4. 

"  Cast  out  therefore  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may 
be  a  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.  For  even 
Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.  Therefore 
let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither 
with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  with 
the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth  ?" 

*'  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that  they 
may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven." 

II.  In  answer  to  the  question,  "  Can  I  be  holy." 
There  are  distinct  instructions  in  the  Word  of  God 
upon  the  ability  and  willingness  of  our  Redeemer 
and  the  Eternal  Father,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 
produce  such  a  result  in  our  hearts  and  lives.  For 
it  must  be  conceded  by  those  who  have  tried  every 
way  to  become  holy  and  have  failed  that  the  work 
of  our  sanctification  is  only  thfe  Lord's.  Our  part 
in  the  gracious  plan  is  —  ''  only  believe." 

JESUS    IS    ABLE   TO   SAVE. 

Surely  there  is  enough  for  our  faith  to  rest  upon. 
Jesus  the  Living  Word  and  the  written  Word  agree. 
Christ  the  Living  Word  will  make  the  written  word 
true  in  our  hearts.     And   so  the  lowest  state  of 


44  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

grace  is  called  glory  —  and  it  is  truly  glorious. 
"  We,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory.  The  youngest  saint  has  had  heaven  intro- 
duced into  his  soul,  and  lives  in  glory  —  the  glory 
of  a  risen  Lord — "that  like  as  Christ  was  raised 
up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even 
so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life." 

You  may  know  the  written  word  with  precision, 
you  may  be  able  to  speak  and  pray  in  scriptural 
phrase  with  elegance,  you  may  take  front  rank 
among  the  masters  of  Biblical  criticism,  you  may 
even  write  sermons  that  charm  the  multitude  — 
and  yet  you  may  be  living  only  in  the  vestibule  of 
God's  temple  of  grace ;  you  may  be  unsaved  !  But 
if  Christ  be  ejtthroned  "  withoid  a  rival,''  you  will 
have  the  meajiing  of  the  Holy  Word  written  upon 
your  soul.  Beloved,  what  may  we  not  expect  the 
Living  Word,  the  Living  Lord,  our  Living  Christ 
to  do  when  He  has  the  control  of  our  hearts  and 
lives,  and  when  from  the  inner  springs  of  our  being, 
He,  with  our  full  consent  (He  will  not  do  it  with- 
out), brings  every  power  into  harmony  with  His 
own  life.  As  the  Living  Word,  He  will  make  pos- 
sible to  us.  He  will  bring  out  into  living  realities, 
all  the  prophecies  and  promises  of  the  written  word, 
so  that  we  may  become  living  epistles,  known  and 
read  of  men. 

We  do  not  degrade  our  royal  High  Priest.     His 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  45 

glory  is  that  ^^He  is  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost 
all  that  come  unto  God  by  Him."  Now  that  word 
**  uttermost"  is  sweetly  descriptive  of  the  greatness 
of  His  work,  and  its  far-reaching  compass.  The 
salvation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  extends  not  only 
to  the  coming  eternity  as  to  duration,  but  it  covers 
every  possible  longing,  the  outmost  reach  of  the 
desires  of  a  soul  which  God  has  touched  —  it  covers 
not  only  the  "whosoever  will,"  as  to  the  number 
of  partakers,  but  the  "whatsoever"  they  will  ask  — 
not  only  the  promises  in  general,  but  every  "exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promise,"  in  every  phase 
and  application  with  which  it  may  be  taken  to  the 
throne  by  those  in  whom  the  Spirit  prays  "with 
groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered."  The  cups 
may  differ  in  size,  but  whatever  the  capacity,  we 
may  all  cry  "  my  cup  runneth  over." 

Now,  then,  beloved  Christians,  who  long  to  live 
above  the  clouds  that  hide  your  Sun,  see  your 
holy  privilege.  Firsts  you  have  the  word — that 
is  written  before  your  eyes,  and  it  is  all  true.  You 
may  live  in  the  enclosure  of  that  word,  fully  saved, 
fully  at  rest  (even  though  by  external  circum- 
stances tossed  about),  your  heart  day  by  day,  year 
by  year,  enjoying  what  the  Scripture  says  (other) 
"eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have 
entered  into  the  heart  of  [other]  man,  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him." 
And  then  —  to  assure  you,  to  show  you  how  this 


46  THE   REST  OF    FAITH. 

may  be,  to  exalt  your  soul,  you  have  Jesus  —  the 
Indwelling  Word. 

We  that  have  felt  His  power  are  no  unbelievers 
in  the  supreme  divinity  of  our  Lord.  We  know 
Him  to  be  Almighty  —  for  we  know  that  He  is 
able  to  save  from  the  lowest  hell  to  the  highest 
heaven,  and  to  make  a  heaven  on  earth  which 
devils  and  men  have  tried  to  turn  into  a  hell.  We 
know  Him  to  be  07nnipresent  —  for  our  praises  in 
the  matter  of  our  present  salvation  are  this  moment 
going  up  from  every  quarter  of  the  world  —  where 
it  is  midnight,  where  it  is  sunrise,  in  arctic  and 
antarctic  seas.  He  is  everywhere  present  to  do 
the  work,  and  to  hear  the  songs  of  His  saved  host. 
Of  His  divine  infallibility,  and  His  infallible  pres- 
ence in  power,  we  are  all  well  assured.  Why,  then, 
should  our  weakness  present  any  barrier  or  make 
us  to  doubt  ?  We  may  well  doubt  ourselves  —  that 
we  ought  to  do  —  we  ought  to  be,  we  will  be,  if 
true  Christians,  filled  to  our  utmost  of  doubts  in 
ourselves.  But,  beloved,  he  that  is  always  crying 
"my  weakness,  my  weakness,"  will  be  often  crying 
"my  leanness^  my  leanness y  Looking  at  ourselves 
will  not  save  us ;  it  always  has  and  always  will  make 
us  miserable.  And  the  more  wicked  we  have  been^ 
the  more  unbelieving  will  a  look  within  make  us. 
We  shall  be  saying,  "  How  can  it  be  that  I  should 
be  raised  to  such  blessedness  ?  "  instead  of  taking  it 
to  ourselves.     Many  think  they  must  look  within 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  47 

to  make  them  humble.  But  that  is  a  mistaken  view 
of  humility.  For  many  who  look  within,  and  con- 
fess themselves  to  be  full  of  all  uncleanness,  sup- 
posing this  to  be  humility,  would  be  among  the  last 
persons  to  follow  Jesus  wherever  He  goes.  We 
may  be  humiliated  without  being  humble  —  full  of 
shame  for  sin,  but  just  as  full  of  pride  in  action. 

True  humility  is  an  active  grace.  It  "follows 
the  Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth."  It  does  not 
ask,  "Is  that  agreeable  to  my  position?"  "VViU'it 
do  for  me  to  take  such  an  humble  place  ?  "  "  Shall 
I  throw  away  my  education,  and  advantages,  and 
position  thus  ?  "  When  Jesus  calls  anywhere,  the 
truly  humble  soul  will  go  with  Him.  Its  only  ques- 
tion is,  "Is  this  assuredly  the  call  of  Jesus?" 

"  The  cross  for  Christ  I'll  cherish, 
Its  crucifixion  bear  ; 
All  hail  reproach  or  sorrow, 
If  Jesus  leads  me  there." 

Beloved,  let  it  be  beheved,  receive  it  Into  your 
heart  as  a  gracious  fact,  that  the  sight  of  our 
"  uttermost "  Saviour  will  make  us  thus  humble  — 
and  this  is  the  only  thing  that  will  produce  the  gra- 
cious result.  For  our  looking  to  Him  is  the  open- 
ing of  the  door  into  which  He  assuredly  enters,  that 
He  may  sup  with  us,  and  we  with  Him. 

Therefore,  let  us  not  be  crying  "my  weakness, 
my  weakness."  But  let  us  be  confessing,  "  My 
Lord,  and  my  God;"  not^  "I   can  do  nothing," 


48  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

but  "unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abun- 
dantly above  all  that  we  ask  or  think ;"  not  "where 
will  this  scene  of  sorrow  and  trial  end  ?  "  but^  "  He 
is  able  to  succor  me,"  "  to  make  me  stand,"  "  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  Him." 
O  ye  children  of  a  covenant-keeping  God  !  why 
should  your  weakness  make  you  to  doubt  ?  The 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation^  and  Jesus  is  the  living  Gospel.  All 
therefore  that  seems  impossible  in  the  written  word 
is  made  possible  by  his  ability  to  save  unto  the  ut- 
termost. 

But  observe,  that  though  the  Lord  Jesus  is  so 
"  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost,"  yet  He  will  not 
do  our  part  of  the  work.  He  will  raise  dead  Laz- 
arus, but  He  will  have  men  to  take  the  stone  from 
the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  and  to  loose  him  and  let 
him  go.  You  need  not  ask  Him  if  you  will  con- 
secrate all  to  Him.  Do  it  at  once.  Do  not  ask 
Him  if  you  may  wash  in  the  "  opened  fountain." 
Do  it  at  once  and  be  clean.  For  as  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended  upon  Jesus  when  He  was  bap- 
tized, so  shall  He  come  upon  you  washing  in  that 
sacred  Blood.  Do  your  part,  cast  everything  away 
and  look  unto  Jesus,  and  He  will  do  His  part  in 
the  fulfilment  of  promises  that  make  a  heaven  be- 
low. 

"The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
That  fountain  in  his  day ; 
And  there  do  I,  as  vile  as  he. 
Wash  all  my  sins  away."    ^ 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  49 

THE    GREAT   PHYSICIAN'S    CURE. 

Many  Christians,  by  their  confessions,  seem  only 
half  cured  of  sin.  They  say  that  they  are  living  in 
known  sin,  that  they  greatly  feel  the  plague  of  their 
hearts,  that  they  feel  indifferent  to  the  things  of 
Christ,  that  they  never  feel  any  burden  for  souls, 
that  they  know  they  are  unfaithful  to  the  Lord  who 
bought  them.  Ministers,  too,  confess  that  they 
continually  go  astray,  that  they  are  very  far  from 
right,  that  they  do  not  love  Jesus  as  much  as  they 
ought,  that  they  often  fall  into  grievous  faults,  and 
that  they  must  call  themselves  sinners,  yea,  even 
the  very  chief  of  sinners. 

.  This  confession  is  quite  universal.  But  it  is  also 
commended.  They  insist  on  the  constant  necessity 
of  such  confession,  and  some  go  so  far  as  to  say, 
that  if  a  man  do  not  feel  himself  to  be  the  "  chief 
of  sinners,"  he  does  not  know  his  own  heart.  As 
for  ourselves,  we  used  to  be  the  chief  of  sinners, 
but  now  we  are  the  chief  of  sirfners  saved.  That 
was  what  Paul  meant.  He  says  that  Jesus  saved 
him,  the  chief  of  sinners.  Then  he  was  the  chief 
of  sinners  no  longer.  The  chief  of  sinners  saved 
by  himself  would  be  a  worse  than  chief  afterwards, 
but  the  chief  of  sinners  saved  by  Jesus  Christ  be- 
came a  saint.  Paul  was  a  saint  when  he  wrote 
those  memorable  words.  The  same  Omnipotent 
Physician  lives  to-day,  to  cure  and  save  from  sin. 
4 


5©  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Jesus  truly  saves.  He  performs  no  half  cure.  He 
turns  the  soul  from  sin  completely  over  to  holiness. 
He  does  not  tell  us  that  He  will  leave  us  in  a  little 
darkness,  but  He  does  say  to  all  who  come  to  Him 
for  a  cure,  "  If  thine  eye  be  single  thy  whole  body 
shall  be  full  of  light." 

Nor  has  He  when  He  cured  our  souls  left  us 
under  a  fatal  necessity  of  sinning,  for  it  is  his  work 
'■'■to  save  us  from  our  sins,''  that  we  "might  serve 
Him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  be- 
fore Him  all  the  days  of  our  life."  In  the  most  ex- 
plicit terms  He  has  promised  in  these  gospel  days, 
"Ye  shall  be  clean."  "And  I  will  put  my  Spirit 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes." 
This  is  the  promise  of  that  better  covenant  which 
God  brought  into  the  Church  by  the  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit.  The  Apostles  and  early  Church 
entered  into  the  enjoyment  of  that  promise,  and 
we  are  to  be  "  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
Apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 
the  chief  corner-stone. 

Now  of  the  ministers  and  Christians  above  no- 
ticed, we  must  ask,  Who  cured  them  of  the  old 
disease  ?  Who  cured  them  so  as  to  leave  the 
disease  remaining  with  some  of  its  worst  sores? 
Surely  that  is  not  the  way  in  which  Jesus  cures. 
It.  must  have  been  Jesus  and  themselves.  AVe 
should  not  think  much  of  a  physician  who  invariably 
left  the  patient  with  the  remains  of  the  complaint 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  5 1 

which  he  was  expected  to  be  the  instrument  in 
eradicating.  And  the  reliable  physician  who  should 
see  a  return  of  the  disease  upon  his  patient  would 
say,  that  the  patient  had  taken  his  case  in  his  own 
hands.  We  fear  the  great  Physician  might  say  the 
same  of  these.  After  He  has  cured  them,  blotted 
out  the  old  record,  received  the  profession  of  their 
entire  homage,  they  go  into  the  world,  they  give 
themselves  to  forgetfulness,  they  make  money  and 
reputation  sometimes  at  the  cost  of  true  and  un- 
defiled  religion.  How,  then,  can  the  cure  of  the 
great  Physician  appear  ? 

We  advise  that  they  let  Jesus  work  alone,  that 
they  be  all  absorbed  in  Him  and  in  His  work,  and 
that  they  study  the  undoubted  meaning  of  His 
word,  that  they  be  slow  to  move  when  a  lower  na- 
ture hastens  them  on,  and  quick  to  move  when  the 
earthly  keeps  them  back ;  always  fulfilling  the  con- 
ditions of  that  spiritual  nature  which  sinks  name 
and  reputation  and  possession,  and  living  itself  in 
the  will  of  God  in  Christ.  Most  positive  are  we, 
that  if  they  will  let  Jesus  work,  they  shall  know  the 
joy  of  a  perfect  cure  after  the  manner  of  a  God,  and 
not  of  man.  Cease  from  man,  cease  from  yourself, 
hide  yourself  so  effectually  that  it  can  never  be 
said  that  you  are  seeking  your  own  honor,  your 
own  ends,  or  that  you  are  even  appearing  to  build 
up  your  business  at  the  cost  of  any  other  man. 
This  is  unearthly,  it  is  true.     But  it  is  heavenly. 


52  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

It  is  what  we  might  expect  Jesus  to  do  for  us,  so 
that  we  may  shine  before  men  in  the  hght  of  His 
own  righteousness,  thus  to  glorify  our  Father  who 
is  in  heaven. 

How  can  you  liye,  Christian,  without  this  perfect 
cure  of  Christ  ?  How  can  you  endure  to  dishonor 
Christ  and  his  workmanship  by  confessing  that  His 
work  is  so  incomplete  ?  How  can  you  have  it  that 
in  your  heart  Christ  and  Satan  should  be  so  at  strife, 
and  Satan  often  and  often  getting  great  advan- 
tages? Has  not  Jesus  proclaimed  and  exhibited 
His  most  complete  sovereignty  over  Satan  and  all 
his  works.  End  this  strife  by  letting  Jesus  rule 
alone.  JVo  longer  let  the  name  of  the  temple  of 
your  soul  be  Jesus  and  I — but  let  it  be  Jesus.  But 
you  say  that  you  are  such  a  very  hard-hearted  soul. 
What  hinders  that  ?  Is  there  any  rock  Jesus  can- 
not break?  Were  not  the  disciples  first  called 
Christians  in  Antioch,  "  a  centre  of  moral  putrefac- 
tion "  ?  The  great  Physician  invades  the  worst  of 
places,  and  of  the  hardest  souls  He  makes  lamb-like 
and  Christ-like  spirits.  May  this  great  Physician 
"sanctify  you  wholly."  "Faithful  is  He  that  call- 
eth  you,  who  also  will  do  it." 

GOD    IS   WILLING. 

God  is  fully  willing. 

I.  That  we  should  believe,  and  tell  abroad,  the 
fact  that  we  do  undoubtedly  enjoy  the  washing  of 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  53 

regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
that  we  have  sweetly  partaken  of  his  baptisms,  when 
we  are  conscious  of  these  facts. 

2.  That  we  should  believe  that  we  are  kept  as 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty. 

3.  That  we  should  believe  that  we  can  be,  and 
are,  "dead  indeed  unto  sin  and  alive  unto  God 
through  Jesus  Christ." 

4.  To  have  us  think  that  we  may  be  filled  with 
righteousness. 

5.  And  that,  by  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ, 
we  can  be  "  pure  in  heart." 

6.  And  that  he  has  power  and  willingness  to  meet 
the  full  extent  of  our  desire  to  be  like  him. 

But  we  believe  not  only  that  God  is  willing  in 
these  things.  He  has  constituted  us  His  "wit- 
nesses "  of  them,  and  of  all  that  Jesus  Christ  came 
to  accomplish  for  believers.  We  are,  then,  com- 
ing very  far  short  of  His  glory,  if  we  remain  unwill- 
ing; or,  if  we  remain  unable  (since  we  may  get  all 
ability  from  Him  by  faith)  to  testify  to  His  full  work 
in  us.  Who  could  be  content  to  testify  that  the 
work  of  the  Lord  does  not  meet  the  demands  of 
our  renewed  nature,  in  every  high  and  Godward 
aspiration  of  our  souls  ?  It  cannot  be  that  Jesus 
never  designed  to  have  a  full  testimony  from  men 
of  what  His  word  says  He  came  to  do. 

in.  What  is  Holiness?  We  desire  to  make  the 
answer  ta  this  question  very  plain,  that  we  may  not 


54  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

be  numbered  among  that  class  of  men  known 
as  Perfectionists.  Their  distinguishing  feature  as 
judged  by  an  outsider  (who  desires  always  to  re- 
main an  outsider  to  damning  error)  is,  that  Jesus 
is  so  formed  in  them'  as  to  make  it  impossible  for 
them  to  fall  into  sin.  It  would  appear  that  they 
believe  in  infallibility.  We  have  no  such  doctrine. ' 
"To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they  speak 
not  according  to  this  Word,  it  is  because  there  is 
no  light  in  them." 

Christian  perfection  is  not  perfectionism.  It  is 
no  pet  scheme  of  a  sect  or  community.  It  is  the 
Lord's  gift  to  His  people  of  every  name,  His  work 
in  their  hearts,  and  is  to  be  the  characteristic  of  His 
Church  above  all  the  denominational  names  by 
which  she  may,  in  various  sections,  be  called.  It 
is  the  fine  linen  which  is  the  righteousness  of  the 
saints  of  all  ages,  and  whoever,  being  fully  the 
Lord's,  has  walked  in  conscious  fellowship  with 
Christ,  has  had  this  precious  grace,  for  the  longer 
or  shorter  period,  of  such  conscious  fellowship. 
That  it  was  not  a  continuance  in  many  cases,  may 
have  been  owing  to  ignorance  of  the  possibility  of 
such  a  continuance,  or  to  a  fall  into  sin,  or  to  that 
fearful  unbelief  which  has  often  turned  heaven  on 
earth  into  despair. 

Holiness  is  not  Adamic,  but  it  is  better  than 
anything  Adamic ;  it  is  connected  indeed  with  be- 
ings who  have  fallen  far  below  the  standard  of 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  55 

Adam's  integrity,  as  to  powers  and  capacities  ;  yet 
when  we  consider  the  imputation  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness upon  our  fallen  natures,  thus  restoring  us 
to  all  the  favor  which  Adam  had,  and  besides  this^ 
His  divine  indwelling,  we  have  a  security  infin- 
itely beyond  Adam's  strength,  to  keep  the  law.  We 
say  it  with  hearts,  and  mouths,  and  lives  full  of 
praise.  Our  imperfections  so  un-Adamic  would 
send  us  to  hell,  but  Jesus'  blood  covers  them  all. 
This  is  imputation,  of  which  we  shall  have  more  to 
say  further  on.  Jesus  has  more  than  restored  the 
ruins  of  the  fall,  so  that  though  we  confess  our  per- 
fection cannot  be  Adamic,  being  conformable  to 
our  present  imperfect  capacities,  yet  we  boast  in 
that  which  Adam  and  angels  have  not,  though  we 
also  confess  that  our  present  graces  are  not  angelic. 

In  either  sense  we  join  with  Paul,  and  say,  "  Not 
as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  al- 
ready perfect,  but  I  follow  after  if  that  I  may  ap- 
prehend that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of 
Christ  Jesus."  And  yet  let  it  be  understood,  that 
we  join  with  Paul  in  the  same  chapter  (Philippians 
iv.)  in  his  other  sense  of  the  word  perfect,  as  adapt- 
ed to  our  present  fallen  capacities.  "Let  as  many 
as  be  perfect  be  thus  minded." 

Holiness  is  salvation  from  sin,  and  is  known  un- 
der several  terms  which  are  drawn  from  the  word  of 
the  Lord. 


56  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 


SALVATION    FROM    SIN. 

Salvation  from  sin  is  the  essence  of  Christ's  ben- 
efits. If  we  have  this,  we  have  all  other  things  which 
"accompany  salvation."  If  any  man  do  not  have 
salvation  from  sin  by  the  Blood  of  Christ,  in  some 
measure,  he  is  none  of  His.  In  proportion  as  the 
Christian  enjoys  this  is  he  a  happy  Christian,  and 
powerful  in  his  life  as  a  true  exponent  of  the  word 
of  Him  who  came  "  to  save  His  people  from  their 
sins." 

All  His  work  in  our  souls  begins  with  this.  For 
"  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  us  to  salva- 
tion through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief 
of  the  truth."  So  when  Jesus  comes  to  a  soul.  He 
comes  in  this  way,  and  the  soul  finds  no  way  into 
His  kingdom  but  through  the  cleansing  Blood.  He 
comes  in  as  he  is  cleansed.  As  he  comes  in  he  loses 
the  burden  of  sin,  and  he  need  never  have  another 
burden  if  he  simply  trust  Him  who  came  "  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,"  "that  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us  who  walk 
not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit."  How  shall 
we  walk  "not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit  "  ? 
Evidently  by  hiding  where  alone  all  the  contrari- 
eties of  our  nature  find  their  cure,  where  alone  all 
our  powers  can  be  attuned  to  worship,  and  to  holy 
living. 

This  can  never  be  done  by  our  struggling,  or  by 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  57 

our  doing.  We  must  '^  cease  from  our  own  works  as 
God  did  from  His."  He  rested  in  Himself.  We 
cannot  rest  in  ourselves,  but  we  may  completely  rest 
in  Him.  Now  if  He  had  not  willed  it  so,  we  could 
not  rest  in  Him  ;  but  that  He  has  willed  it,  we  fully 
see  in  the  "law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus," 
which  "  hath  made  us  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death." 

It  would  indeed  be  very  strange  if  God  had  not 
willed  our  salvation  from  sin,  the  very  purpose  for 
which  Christ  died.  This  would  hinder  our  world 
from  any  benefit  of  His  death.  But  a  serious  ques- 
tion with  the  peopje  of  God  is  concerning  the  extent 
of  this  benefit.  Perhaps  the  great  majority  of  those 
to  whom  I  write  expect  remaining  depravity  to 
haunt  them  to  their  dying  day.  My  only  desire  is 
for  practical  results.  It  is  a  fact  that  remaining  sin 
does  distress  multitudes  —  that  is  surely  a  result  of 
total  depravity. 

But  now  for  the  result  of  the  work  of  Christ.  If 
sin  dwell  within  me,  I  can  get  Christ  to  dwell  with- 
in. Which  overcomes  ?  If  sin  is  a  "  root,"  Christ 
is  the  beginning  of  all  things,  and  the  root  cannot 
grow,  cannot  leaf  out,  if  His  sovereign  power  be 
placed  upon  it.  He  certainly  will  keep  it  down 
as  a  dead  root,  if  this  be  what  I  ask  of  Him  and  be- 
lieve Him  for.  If  sin  be  a  body,  corrupt  and  cor- 
rupting, to  which  I  am  chained,  Jesus  designs  that 
my  joy  shall  be  full.      As  long  as  He  reigns  with- 


58  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

out  a  rival,  surely  that  body  is  held  at  His  arnHs 
lengthy  which  is  to  me  as  far  as  the  ends  of  the  uni- 
verse. It  need  not  trouble  me  if  my  eyes  are  upon 
Him.  If  sin  be  a  fountain,  then  as  long  as  Christ 
is  in  me  the  fountain  must  be  healed  of  all  its  sting 
and  bitterness.  I  am  utterly  unable  to  see  how  sin 
can  have  any  dominion  or  power,  or  active  pres- 
ence, if  Jesus,  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords, 
dwell  within.     His  presence  is  sin's  expulsion. 

It  is  urged  by  many  that  "  sin  is  any  want  of  con- 
formity to  the  law  of  God,"  and  as  we  are  imperfect 
creatures,  we  therefore,  as  such,  are  sinful.  It  is 
freely  admitted  that  we  are  very  imperfect.  But 
Jesus  came,  that  He  might  also  keep  this  imperfec- 
tion under,  and  use  it  according  to  its  capacity  for 
His  own  service,  delivering  it  from  all  that  can  be 
of  any  service  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan.  And  thus 
it  is  recorded  that  "  He  of  God  is  made  unto  us  " 
(imperfect  as  we  are)  "wisdom,  and  righteousness, 
and  sanctification,  and  redemption."  I  may,  there- 
fore, confidently  expect  Jesus,  "my  Life,"  to  make 
use  of  my  judgment,  and  understanding,  and  will, 
in  His  own  wisdom,  yea,  to  make  me  wise  in  the 
use  of  these  for  the  purposes  of  His  kingdom  in 
my  own  sphere.  And  that,  therefore,  which  is  so 
weak  in  itself,  by  Him  has  saintly  power.  I  need 
not,  therefore,  be  anxious  about  the  amount  of  sin 
which  is  left,  when  by  His  reigning  grace,  yea,  by 
His  sure  presence,  I  am  not  conscious  of  a  single 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  59 

desire.^tside  of  His  will,  nor  of  a  departure  from 
Him  in  my  ways. 

Beloved,  behold  the  complete  redemption  !  Re- 
member it  is  "  Jesus  all  the  day  long."  Without 
Him  the  heart  is  a  cage  of  unclean  birds.  With 
Him  it  is  "  aU  glorious  within."  Our  very  imper- 
fection is  complete  in  Him.  He  will  make  all  our 
powers  produce  their  best  results  for  our  sphere, 
making  complete  the  work  of  our  hands,  our  limbs  ; 
opening  our  eyes  to  see,  our  minds  to  understand 
and  to  discern  the  place,  the  time,  the  manner  of 
every  engagement. 

Oh,  how  glad  I  am  that  Jesus  can  take  me,  who 
have  made  so  many  failures  in  the  past,  and  make 
the  most  of  me  now  ;  that  I  can  put  myself  in  His 
hands  with  this  faith,  and  trust  Him  so  to  guide  me 
with  His  eye,  and  so  to  "  cleanse  me  from  all  un- 
righteousness," that  my  present  life  (full  salvation  is 
present  salvation)  shall  not  be  a  blot  in  His  king- 
dom, as  my  past  has  been  !  Yes,  Jesus  will  make 
the  most  of  me  that  can  be  made.  Ah !  that  makes 
me  glad  indeed !  How  willing  will  I  be  to  give 
Him  all  the  glory,  and  to  confess  myself  at  best  a 
very  unprofitable  servant ! 

"  Take  my  poor  heart,  and  let  it  be 
Forever  closed  to  all  but  Thee." 

Surely,  beloved,  salvation  from  sin  by  the  ador- 
able Holy  Ghost,  through  the  Blood  of  Jesus,  can- 
not be  a  very  alarming  error.     It  is  of  the  marrow 


6o  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

of  truth.  Does  not  some  reader  feel  that  this  is 
just  what  he  needs  ?  Have  you  not  hungered  and 
thirsted  for  righteousness  ?  Then,  beHeving,  you 
shall  be  filled,  for  "  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death, 
even  so  may  grace  reign  through  righteousness^  unto 
eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  It  is  His 
will  "  even  your  sanctification."  That  is  not  pub- 
bhshed  as  His  will  for  one  or  two  Thessalonians, 
but  for  all  the  Church  of  God;  for  the  greatest 
variety  of  statement  is  given  to  the  same  truth  in 
all  the  inspired  messages  to  His  scattered  Church. 
Your  sanctification — yes,  my  dear  brother,  yours. 
Do  not  argue  upon  its  attainabihty ;  do  not  say 
some  of  your  neighbors  in  the  house  of  God  need 
the  grace  —  this  message  is  for  you. 

You,  beloved,  may  walk  and  live  in  all  holy  con- 
versation and  godliness,  "  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  Him  all  the  days  of  your  life."  "  Is  this 
precious  experience  so  near  to  me,  then,"  do  you 
ask  ?  Yes,  beloved,  because  the  God  of  the  saints 
is  so  near  —  because  Jesus  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
have  come  from  God  the  Father  to  "seal  you  unto 
the  day  of  redemption."  Your  will,  it  may  be,  is 
the  only  hindrance.  Your  will  is  the  door  into 
your  heart.  If  that  is  closed,  or  not  widely  open  to 
welcome  the  Heavenly  Guest,  then  you  may  long 
and  vainly  wait  for  the  gracious  shower.  Let  your 
will  be  yielded  in  everything  for  His  own  sake,  and 
then  believing  is  very  easy. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  6l 

The  self-willed  lose  the  blessing,  from  the  diffi- 
culty of  faith  —  the  contrite  get  their  empty  hearts 
full.  Do  not  weep,  dear  child  of  God.  Let  God 
have  all  at  once  ;  raise  the  knife  to  the  Isaac  which 
conscience  tells  you  is  to  be  yielded  up,  which 
hinders  the  Almighty  Worker  from  shining  within 
and  through  you  in  '^newness  of  life."  Come  and 
let  Him  whose  name  is  Jesus  save  you  from  your 
sins.  "  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly ; 
and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body- 
be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is  He  that  calleth  you,  who 
also  will  do  it." 

THE    TERMS    WE    USE. 

It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind,  that  our  terms  are  the 
very  words  of  Scripture.  God  himself  has  sup- 
plied us  with  the  name  of  His  blessings,  and  we 
have  simply  taken  Him  at  His  word,  and  taken  His 
own  chosen  language.  Nor  do  we  undertake  to 
explain  any  of  our  terms  by  any  abstruse  meaning, 
or  by  twisting  words  in  any  way  whatever.  We 
take  the  terms  in  their  most  obvious  meaning  ;  we 
use  them  in  their  proper  connections,  in  the  tenses 
which  belong  to  them,  and  with  the  most  sensible 
view  of  the  scope  of  the  passages  in  which  they 
stand. 

We  desire  to  take  God's  words  and  God's 
thoughts  —  that   is,    the   words   of   Scripture  —  in 


62  THE    REST   NF    FAITH. 

their  apparent  relations.  For  these  are  by  His 
own  inspiration.  Let  the  reader  then  examine  well 
the  terms  we  have  used,  or  those  which  are  used 
by  the  upholders  of  Scriptural  holiness.  *'  If  any 
speak  not  according  to  this  Word,  it  is  because 
there  is  no  light  in  them." 

I.  Sanctification.  It  is  God's  word,  and  refers  both 
to  His  own  work  and  ours.  In  His  work,  no  one 
will  doubt  its  perfection,  and  as  regards  our  own 
sanctification,  or  the  setting  apart  of  ourselves,  no 
one  doubts  that  if  in  the  consecration  anything  be 
reserved  to  ourselves,  it  is  as  if  nothing  at  all  were 
set  apart,  for  God  claims  all,  and  must  have  all  in 
order  to  make  good  His  own  word  that  "  if  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature." 

This  word,  then,  denotes  a  radical  change  of  the 
whole  being,  from  sin  to  holiness,  from  darkness  to 
light,  from  the  service  of  self  and  Satan  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  and  from  any  dependence  on  man  to 
an  entire  dependence  on  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 
work  within  the  soul,  what  God  the  Son  has  already 
wrought  for  us  on  the  cross. 

The  word  translated  in  our  English  Bible,  "  holi- 
ness"—  "sanctification"  —  is  not  found  in  Greek 
writers,  but  belongs  to  the  Bible,  and  to  saintly  lan- 
guage. It  expresses  the  work  of  God  in  the  heart 
of  the  believer.  Its  first  reference  is  to  the  cleans- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit.  As  man  is  cleansed  in  every 
part  of  his  nature  by  the   Holy  Spirit,  and  every 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  63 

part  of  his  being  is  set  at  work  for  God  by  the 
cleansing  blood,  it  is  most  appropriate  to  translate 
the  word  "  holiness  "  or  "wholeness." 

A  beautiful  description  of  its  action  is  found  in 
Rom.  vi.  22  :  "  Now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and 
become  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto 
holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life."  The  whole 
sixth  chapter  of  Romans  is  indeed  a  proper  illustra- 
tion of  the  meaning  of  this  word.  The  same  word 
is  connected  with  that  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  called  "  sanctification  of  the  Spirit."  God 
hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation 
through  sa7ictification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the 
truth."  (2  Thess.  ii.  13.)  ''Elect  according  to 
the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  the 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit^  unto  obedience,  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ."  (i  Peter 

Sanctification  is,  therefore,  inseparably  connected 
with  belief  of  the  truth.  Not  a  mere  mental  belief, 
but  a  belief  down  deep  in  the  heart,  an  internal  re- 
ception of  the  truth  of  God  as  the  very  life  of  our 
souls.  It  is  the  very  beginning  of  glory,  because  we 
spiritually  see  things  to  which  we  were  before  blind. 
This  internal  reception  of  God's  truth  is  a  positive 
consciousness  that  everything  He  has  said  is  true 
though  the  wisest  of  mortals  may  laugh  at  it  as  an 
utter  impossibility.  It  is  a  great  thing  for  man  to 
believe  God  !     The  difficulty  in  the  fall  of  our  first 


64  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

parents  was  that  they  permitted  a  parley  on  the 
truth  of 'God.  The  redemption  of  Christ  restores 
the  abihty  to  take  Him  at  His  word,  and  to  act  ac- 
cordingly. And  that  action  which  is  based  upon 
the  truth  of  God  is  saintly  action,  and  is  rightly 
called  after  the  name  of  the  Restorer,  "  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit." 

The  word  is  also  inseparably  connected  with  the 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  and  obedience,  as 
in  the  text  already  quoted  from  i  Peter  i.  2.  "  But 
ye  are  come  .  .  .to  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the 
new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that 
speaketh  better  things  than  that  of  Abel."  (Heb. 
xii.  24.)  In  fact,  the  blood  of  Jesus  is  the  price  of 
the  whole  salvation,  including  the  purchase  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  it  is  the  cleansing  power  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  uses  in  freeing  the  soul  from  the  guilt, 
power,  and  pollution  of  sin.  "  He  shall  glorify  me : 
for  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto 
you."  (John  xvi.  14.)  "  Now  the  God  of  peace, 
that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus, 
that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood 
of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect  in 
every  good  work,  to  do  His  will,  working  in  you 
that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ." 

Here,  it  is  seen,  that  obedience  is  wrought  in  the 
soul  by  the  Lord's  own  inworking.  We  are  obedi- 
ent as  the  Lord  works  in  us  that  which  he  loves  to 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  6$ 

see.     And  this,   even  His  own,  is  the  power  by 
which  we  are  "  kept  through  faith  unto  salvation." 

Our  High  Priest  has  ascended  into  the  holiest 
place,  with  absolute  holiness  of  His  own,  and  com- 
municable holiness  for  us.  He  is  infinitely  full  of 
holiness.  And  as  He  has  purchased  our  redemp- 
tion with  His  precious  blood.  He  now  sends  His 
Spirit,  that  His  own  holiness  may  be  communicated 
to  us.  Now  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  must  be  hon- 
ored. He  is  the  efficient  agent  in  all  our  walk  and 
life  of  faith.  By  Him  God  works  in  us,  and  He  it 
is  that  helpeth  our  infirmities,  and  prays  within  us 
with  unutterable  groanings,  and  controls  the  living 
energies  of  soul  and  body,  that  we  may  be  moved 
Godward. 

If  He  do  the  work,  and  our  part  is  simply  to  be- 
lieve, being  purified  by  faith,  then  we  must  suppose 
that  sanctification  is  a  complete  work.  This  is  the 
doctrine  of  Holy  Scripture.  "  Complete  in  Him." 
(Col.  ii.  lo.)  Practically  complete  in  him  as  well 
as  judicially.  "Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did 
much  more  abound ;  that  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto 
death,  evefi  so  might  grace  reign  through  right- 
eousness unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord." 

We  do  well,  therefore,  when  by  faith  i7i  the  Holy 
Spirifs  inworking  power  we  "  reckon  ourselves  to 
be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."    Thus  by  the  Holy 

5 


66  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

Spirit  we  have  power  over  sin  so  that  we  are  able, 
IN  HIM,  to  mind  and  keep  the  demand,  *'  Let  not 
sin,  therefore,  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye 
should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof."  We  are  utterly 
unable  to  see  upon  what  gospel  basis  Christians  can 
either  harbor  sin,  or  teach  that  indwelling  sin  is  a 
necessary  attendant  of  the  Christian  even  unto  the 
end  of  his  life.  Surely,  Jesus  died  to  save  from  sin, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  fully  able  to  carry  on  His 
redeeming  work. 

The  word  righteousness  is  very  comprehensive,  as 
in  Jeremiah  xxxiii  .16.  It  includes  both  justifica- 
tion and  sanctification.  In  both  senses  do  we  trust 
"the  Lord  our  righteousness."  In  Christ  we  have 
justification,  or  perfect  acquittal  before  God.  In 
Him  we  have  sanctification  of  the  man,  of  ourselves. 
This  goes  under  the  term  "  the  Lord  our  righteous- 
ness." '*  He  shall  be  called "  (Jeremiah  xxiii.  6), 
"She  shall  be  called"  (Jeremiah  xxxiii.  16),  by  the 
same  gracious  name.  He  as  the  hiddeti  source^  we 
as  the  gushing  life^  seen  and  known  of  men.  Oh  ! 
the  sweetness  of  this  living  union  of  Christ  in  us 
and  we  in  Him.  Hallelujah  !  Reign  in  us,  thou 
mighty  King  of  Zion,  that  as  Thou  art  so  may  we 
be  in  this  world,  and  so  may  we  be  called.  Glory 
be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  world  without  end. 

The  word  sanctification  is  enough,  therefore,  to 
express  the  most  comprehensive  work  of  the  Di- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  67 

vine  spirit,  in  our  likeness  to  our  adorable  Master. 
But  the  Word  of  God  uses  another  term,  giving, 
fulness  to  the  meaning  of  this  word,  and  confirming 
the  doctrine  of  the  saints'  resurrection  with  Christ 
into  a  complete  newness  of  life,  and  restoration  of 
the  lost  image  of  Eden.  It  is  that  from  which 
comes  our  term. 

2.  Entire  Sanctification  —  ^'  The  very  God  of 
peace  satictify  you  wholly :  and  I  pray  God  your 
whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blame- 
less unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Many  object  to  this  term,  but  here  is  the  Scripture 
for  it.  It  is  neither  an  advance  nor  a  retrogres- 
sion upon  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture  here  quot- 
ed. Entirely  sanctified  and  wholly  sanctified  are 
the  same.  But  the  words  of  Scripture  are  stronger 
than  our  own  term,  inasmuch  as  they  comprehend 
a  statement  of  the  extent  of  this  great  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  of  the  blood  of  Christ — "  Your 
whole  spirit  and  soul  arid  body  preserved  blameless^ 
What  is  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  passage  ? 
What  but  a  saint  can  such  an  one  be  proclaimed  ? 

When  God  hath  done  such  a  work  for  one,  when  ^ 
the  Apostle's  prayer  is  answered,  and  the  man 
stands  before  the  Church  as  having  had  such  a 
work  done  within  and  without  him,  who  shall  cally 
him  a  sinner  ?  Who  shall  demand  of  him  that  he 
stop  his  praises  to  the  Lamb  ''who  hath  washed 
him  from  his  sins  in  His  own  blood,"  and  who  shall 


68  THE   REST   OF    FAITH. 

demand  that  He  confess  to  God  or  to  men  that  it 
is  not  so,  that  the  work  is  not  done  after  all  ?  But 
the  sceptic  says,  "  No  man  has  ever  seen  such  a 
soul."  Then  we  answer.  If  it' be  so,  the  Apostles 
prayer  was  never  answered.  God  put  a  desire  into 
his  soul,  awakened  a  living  want  of  his  being,  which 
was  never  to  be  satisfied.  But  Paul  knew  that  his 
praying  breath  was  not  spent  in  vain,  and  he  prayed 
with  assurance  that  it  was  the  good-will  and  pleas- 
ure of  God  that  His  people  should  "  be  blameless 
and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke." 

Another  will  tell  us  that  this  text  "  has  reference 
to  our  condition  at  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Why,  then,  is  the  word  used  which  denotes  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  condition  ?  They  are  to  be  ^'■pre- 
served blameless^'  to  be  placed  in  this  condition, 
and  then  preserved  in  it  unto  a  set  time,  when 
Jesus  shall  "be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe." 
This  word  is  very  strong.  If  it  were'  man's  work 
to  do  it,  then  there  might  be  some  doubt  as  to  the 
result.  But  the  Apostle  prays  God  to  do  the  work, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  prayer  assures  the  saints  that 
HE  will  be  faithful  to  do  it,  to  "preserve  them 
blameless  in  spirit  and  soul  and  body." 

If  we,  then,  have  not  Scriptural  grounds  for  the 
term,  ^^  Entire  sanctijication,''  theologians,  and  all 
Bible  students,  may  as  well  yield  every  point  which 
they  have  held  as  directly  drawn  from  the  Word  of 
God.     It  is  the  exact  parallel  of  the  term  of  this 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  69 

text  in  Thessalonians.  And  by  it  we  mean  no 
more  than  any  reader  can  see  to  be  the  plain  sig- 
nification of  the  words,  in  their  proper  connections, 
and  in  their  Scriptural  relations.  We  are  fully  per- 
suaded that  God  loves  this  term.  Oh !  that  the 
Church  would  cherish  it,  and  find  its  praises  extend- 
ing to  the  great  work  which  our  God  is  willing  to 
do. 

3.  Another  term  is  Perfect  Love,  But  it  stands 
to  declare  what  God  is  willing  to  do  for  His  people 
in  this  their  earthly  state  —  yes,  what  He  has  al- 
ready done  for  many  whose  simple  faith  took  Him 
at  His  word.  Those  who  are  perfect  in  love  must 
be  viewed  in  two  aspects,  as  having  relation  to  the 
two  tables  of  the  law.  For  it  is  said  that  "  love  is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  The  grace  of  love,  as 
"shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  is  given  unto  us,"  meets  the  demand  of  both 
tables.  Love  of  God  in  all  the  strength  and  pow- 
ers of  our  being,  and  love  of  man  as  ourselves. 
And  there  are  not  wanting  the  ''few  that  be 
saved  "  both  to  tell  and  to  exemplify  what  this  shin- 
ing grace  is. 

You  say  that  a  recipient  of  perfect  love,  and 
whose  character  is  its  exponent,  will  really  love 
God  better  than  his  dearest  earthly  friends,  with 
pantings  after  his  presence,  with  thoughts  necessarily 
absorbed,  with  a  clear,  positive,  unflinching  zeal  in 
his  service,  which  nothing  can  weary  out  in  sum- 


70  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

mer  or  winter,  and  an  unceasing  devotion  to  his 
kingdom  and  glory.  Yes,  we  mean  all  this  —  a 
man  wrapped  up  in  God  —  God  his  all  and  in  all, 
and  nothing  without  God. 

You  say,  further,  that  such  a  person  would  be 
very  exemplary  before  men,  and  that  to  man  he  is, 
in  respect  to  honesty,  honor,  sympathy,  desire  for 
their  welfare,  disinterestedness  in  actions  toward 
them,  free  from  selfishness,  and  full  of  real,  hearty, 
and  abounding  love,  a  model  after  the  Scripture 
standard  of  the  Golden  Rule,  and  a  living  subject 
of  the  charity  laid  down  in  the  thirteenth  chapter 
of  first  Corinthians.  This  is  a  high  standard  in- 
deed. But  God  erected  it  and  not  man,  and  God 
has  commanded  men  to  attain  unto  it.  If  the 
Almighty  Lord  had  stopped  here  we  should  be  lost 
inevitably.  But  the  grace  to  keep  the  commands 
is  given,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  takes  up  His  abode 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  to  transform  them  into 
children  of  light,  to  spring  up  within  them,  and  to 
raise  the  standard  within  them  to  the  saintly  pro- 
portions of  its  description  in  Holy  Writ. 

God  the  Holy  Ghost  is  love.  Wlmi  He  fills  the 
soul  and  eftergizes  within  us,  the  old  Adam  fnust  die, 
the  Christ  must  reign  and  our  souls  must  be  filled 
with  perfect  love  which  casts  out  all  torme?itifig  fear. 
To  say  less  would  be  to  say  that  the  Holy  Spirit's 
work  is  necessarily  incomplete,  and  that  He  can 
dwell  in  a  heart  where  lust  and  sin  reign  —  a  doc- 


THE   REST   OF    FAITH.  7I 

trine  contrary  to  every  view  of  the  reigning  grace 
of  God,  and  of ''  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,"  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  may  be  found  in 
the  holy  word  of  Divine  truth.  "  Perfect  love," 
therefore,  is  a  necessary  term  to  express,  what  we 
may  have  by  the  grace  of  God,  what  God  has  pro- 
vided for  us,  what  Jesus  died  to  secure,  and  what 
will  make  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ-like  in  her 
earthly  state.  The  denial  of  the  privilege  of  being'^^ 
made  perfect  in  love  on  this  earthy  were  it  07i  the 
side  of  the  truths  would  make  impossible  the  promised 
millennial  day. 

It  may  be,  as  we  have  hinted,  that  few  such  can  ) 
be  found.  But  we  have  seen  a  few  of  these.  ' 
They  do  not  shine  with  kings  in  earthly  palaces ; 
they  may  be  very  little  and  unknown  among  men ; 
the  world  does  not  choose  their  company.  The 
world  hates  the  things  by  which  they  take  their 
stand  as  the  friends  of  God.  They  can  be  well 
content  to  wait  God's  time,  to  live  God's  way,  to 
come  through  much  tribulation,  and  to  be  called 
foolish,  for  their  costly  devotion  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  all  meekness  and  simplicity  of  character. 
They  may  well  be  called  little  children.  They  are 
so  little  as  to  care  very  little  about  their  esteem 
among  men,  so  they  can  have  His  smile  which  kin- 
dles joy  among  the  angels. 

If  you  want  to  be  made  perfect  in  love,  dear 
reader,  you  must  be  willing  to  be  little  and  un- 


72  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

known,  so  that  you  may  realize  that  God  who  is 
for  us  is  more  than  all  who  can  be  against  us. 
Oh  !  holy  joy,  when  such  love  has  cast  out  fear  ! 

4.  We  merely  say  of  another  term,  which  is 
Christian  Perfection^  that  if  the  candid  reader  will 
refer  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  third  chapter, 
he  will  find  the  word  perfect  in  two  senses :  the  one 
referring  to  our  resurrection  perfection  (verse  12), 
and  the  other  (verse  15)  referring  to  the  Christian 
perfection  which  we  must  conclude  was  preached, 
professed,  and  lived  in  apostolic  times.  "  Let  us 
therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded.' 

As  we  a  little  while  ago  said,  this  is  not  Adamic 
nor  angelic  perfection,  but  our  own  in  Christ ;  not 
our  own  in  ourselves,  or  in  any  way  disconnected 
with  Christ,  but  only  in  Him 

HOLINESS   TRANSPARENT. 

It  must  appear  to  all  that  holiness  is  a  trans- 
parent grace.  Not  that  it  betrays  any  secret  of 
domestic  life.  Not  that  it  cultivates  an  intimacy 
with  the  marvellous,  and  is  compelled  on  certain 
impulses  to  reveal  the  thoughts  of  the  mind.  Far 
from  it.  Holiness  does  not  take  away  common 
sense,  but  cultivates  and  cherishes  it.  It  cherishes 
every  faculty  of  the  mind,  and  saves  the  will  from 
mere  flashes  of  duty-life.  But  in  its  character,  ex- 
hibiting the  symmetry  of  the  Christian  graces,  a  rea- 
son can  be  seen  for  all  its  acts.     It  needs  no  cur- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  73 

tain  to  hide  its  morality  from  the  public,  nor  any 
vain  excuse.     Its  reasons  are  always  good. 

Holiness  is  never  a  cloak.  When  you  find  that 
any  has  used  it  as  such,  to  cover  up  any  deformities 
of  his  character,  it  is  a  sufficient  trial  of  his  spirit. 
Linger  no  longer  to  view  his  life.  Christ  is  not  in 
such  a  man,  and  your  utmost  scrutiny  will  not  mend 
your  broken  confidence.  For  holiness  is  not  a  pro- 
fession. It  is  a  life,  deeply  fixed,  and  rooted  in  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  hatred  of  evil  in  every  shape 
and  form.  You  may  look  for  these  in  the  holy  per- 
son, and  you  will  not  be  disappointed. 

There  are  those  (perfectionists)  who  hold  that 
they  have  Christ  so  formed  in  them  that  they  can- 
not sin.  But  in  their  life  we  see  them  sin,  doing 
what  we  should  always  call  sin.  They  say  it  is  ftot, 
in  them,  for  Christ  is  in  them.  Thus  they  cloak 
over  sin  with  the  name  of  Christ.  We  have  seen 
them  act  more  like  the  devil  than  like  Christ,  and 
yet  they  say  it  is  not  sin.  They  aver  that  ere  you 
get  into  the  blissful  state  which  they  have  attained, 
you  must  give  up  everything  to  God,  even  your  con- 
science.    So  these  have  given  up  their  conscience. 

But  our  experience  tells  us  that  the  man  who 
gives  up  his  conscience,  as  well  as  the  man  who 
gives  up  his  life  in  suicide,  has  fallen  a  prey  to  the 
arch-deceiver.  God  does  not  want  the  conscience 
out  of  us.  He  wants  it  in  us,  that  it  may  be  made, 
by  His  Spirit,  very  tender  to  the  least  form  of  sin. 


74  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

This  is  very  evident  from  the  words  of  Holy 
Writ.  "If  our  heart  [/>.,  conscience]  condemn 
us,  God  is  greater  than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all 
things.  Beloved,  if  our  heart  [conscience]  condemn 
us  not,  then  we  have  confidence  toward  God." 
God  wants  our  conscience,  as  an  inward  monitor, 
to  declare  to  us  our  condition  in  His  sight.  And 
besides.  He  has  made  the  consciences  of  His  peo- 
ple answer  to  one  another.  One  man's  conscience 
is  the  detector  of  another's ;  so  that  we  become, 
not  for  selfish  motives,  nor  from  any  low  motive  at 
all,  but  for  the  good  of  each  other  and  for  the  glory 
of  God,  "  our  brother's  keeper." 

It  is  thus  that  the  holy  man,  the  holy  minister, 
the  saintly  character,  poor  or  rich,  is  enabled  by 
manifestation  of  the  truth  to  commend  himself  or 
herself  to  every  man's  conscience,  in  the  sight  of 
God.  And  thus,  by  the  tender  consciences  of  the 
people  of  God  we  have  a  moral  cement,  which  binds 
them  together  at  the  cross  of  Christ ;  each  one  of 
them  realizing  the  necessity  of  continually  "  looking 
unto  Jesus,"  that  he  may  be  free  from  sin. 

Sanctified  persons  cultivate  a  tenderness  of  con- 
science which  makes  every  sin,  and  every  action 
which  in  any  other  person  would  be  sin,  very,  yea, 
infinitely  distasteful  to  us.  Then  if  a  holy  person 
should  for  the  time  fall  into  any  sin,  it  would  at 
once  rise  to  his  face  in  blushes.  That  is  what  we 
desire.     We  do  not  want  even  the  possibility  of  hid- 


THE   REST  OF    FAITH.  75 

ing  the  sin  which  we  commit.  We  desire  earnestly 
to  have  it  so  that  if  we  should  slide  from  the  law  of 
God  it  would  be  detected,  by  others  or  ourselves,  so 
that  we  might  fly  to  the  fountain  at  the  first  appear- 
ance of  the  stain. 

So  shall  our  saintly  character  be  transparent. 
Men  shall  see  our  determination  to  be  the  Lord's. 
There  shall  be  no  possibility  of  being  mistaken  for 
hypocrites.  Lord  give  us  this  transparent  life,  for 
Thy  praise. 

Since  it  has  been  answered  that  I  can  be  holy, 
that  God  designed  it,  that  He  is  able  and  willing, 
and  since  we  have  clear  definition  of  holiness  before 
us,  let  us  answer  the  question. 

IV.   How  can  I  be  holy  ? 

And  first  of  all,  that  the  simple-hearted  reader 
may  begin  with  the  true  spirit,  let  us  ask  him, 

ARE  YOU  DETERMINED  TO  BE  HOLY? 

"  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the 
good  of  the  land."  This  appears  to  express  a 
principle  by  which  the  people  of  God  may  expect 
the  blessings  of  His  covenant.  If  they  are  "  will- 
ing and  obedient,"  they  shall  enjoy  the  promises. 
It  is  7iot  "  those  who  are  willing  to  eat  the  good  of 
the  land  shall  eat  it."  Imprisoned  criminals,  in  this 
sense,  might  be  willing  to  enjoy  liberty  once  more, 
but  the  danger  is  that  they  would  not  enjoy  it  in 
the  way  of  honesty  and  honor.     They  would  have 


76  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

a  false  liberty ;  they  are  not  willing  to  enjoy  the 
liberty  of  the  honest  and  the  true.  Many  think 
themselves  willing  to  enjoy  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  makes  free,  but  they  are  not  willing  to  fulfil 
the  conditions  of  faith. 

Determination  belongs  to  the  idea  of  wiUingness 
in  this  connection.  If  ye  be  willing,  if  you  are 
suitably  disposed,  if  your  mind  is  set,  if  you  are 
determined  to  be  a  faithful  servant,  you  may  have 
what  you  seek.  "  Then  shall  we  know,  if  we  fol- 
low on  to  know,  the  Lord."  In  every  case  the  crea- 
ture is  active.  God  designed  that  we  should  use 
our  powers ;  that  we  should  will,  and  be  responsible 
for  the  use  of  our  will.  It  is  the  glory  of  His  plan 
that  our  will  is  to  be  exercised.  While  we  are 
stoutly  opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  self-will,  we  must 
be  as  stoutly  set  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  of  free- 
will in  all  gracious  souls.  God  willing  in  them, 
they  may  will  to  do  all  that  can  enter  into  their  en- 
joyment of  His  promises.  They  do  this  constantly. 
It  is  a  part  of  the  liberty  with  which  the  Son  makes 
free.     "Awake,  thou  that  sleepest." 

When  God  has  done  the  part  that  man  cannot  do, 
then  man  is  to  arise,  is  to  determinately  exercise  the 
new  life.  This  applies  to  every  step  of  our  experi- 
ence. Jesus  is  always  "  the  resurrection  and  the 
life."  We  must  arise  from  the  dead,  we  must  use 
the  grace.  Natures  that  are  slow  to  act,  and  those 
who  have  misconceptions  concerning  their  activity 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  77 

in  the  reception  of  promised  grace,  need  the  deter- 
mination to  obedience.  "  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedi- 
ent," then,  becomes,  "  if  ye  are  determined  to  obey '^ 
In  our  consecration  of  everything  to  God  we  must 
not  forget  to  yield  up  all  i7iactio7t,  all  improper 
trust  —  e.g.,  we  have  no  right  to  trust  God  for  be- 
lieving for  us.  We  must  believe  for  ourselves. 
Some  doubt  the  doctrine  of  the  higher  Christian 
life  from  their  own  failures  in  it.  Their  failure  has 
arisen  from  their  own  inaction  and  unbelief.  The 
use  of  7nea7is  must  7iever  be  laid  aside. 

A  soul  seeking  this  precious  "grace  wherein  we 
stand,"  may  suspect  that  his  weakness  will  be  in 
speaking  to  sinners  of  their  souls.  Now,  then,  hav- 
ing come  to  the  very  point  of  entrance  upon  the 
happy  life,  he  meets  a  sinner.  The  blessed,  gentle, 
Holy  Ghost  gives  him  a  word  to  say,  or  whispers, 
saying,  '*  Go  and  serve  me  by  speaking  to  this 
man."  It  is  evident  that  if  he  fail  at  that  point,  it 
is  simply  in  his  own  withholding  to  speak  promptly. 
The  first  thing  he  must  now  seek,  and  determine  to 
find,  and  find,  is  the  exercise  of  his  own  will.  Don't 
delay  —  delays  are  dangerous.  Go  at  once,  speak 
at  once  —  whatever  you  have  to  do,  do  it  at  once. 
"  If  any  man  will  do  His  will  he  shall  know  of  the 
doctrine."  Consecration  must  determine  all  the 
powers  for  God,  or  it  is  defective.  When  we  are 
leaning  on  promised  grace,  "  /  will''  is  gospel 
language.     But  it  is  in  the  heart  more  than  in  the 


78  THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  , 

lips.  In  the  divine  life,  when  God  is  working  in 
us  "  to  will  and  to  do,"  the  utmost  decision  against 
sin  is  to  be  expected. 

Sanctification,  therefore,  is  a  setting  of  our  na- 
tures in  severe  opposition  to  that  which  has  before 
acted  within  us  to  hinder  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
whether  it  be  precipitancy  or  sloth.  If  our  fault 
has  been  precipitancy^  then  the  determination  of 
our  being  in  the  act  of  consecration  will  be  to  "be 
still"  before  God.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  soul 
has  been  slow  to  move  at  the  point  of  duty,  the  de- 
cision of  our  whole  being  will  be  to  seize  the  first 
opportunity  to  check  the  first  rising  of  the  sluggish 
spirit,  to  "  ARISE  AND  BE  DOING."  That  is  ours  to 
do. 

Two  powers  move  in  the  saints  with  mighty  in- 
fluence —  the  will-power  and  the  love-power.  They 
are  sweetly  blended  when  everything  works  har- 
moniously. In  legality  the  will-power  gets  the  as- 
cendancy, and  the  consequence  is  that  the  error  of 
the  foolish  Galatians  is  not  far  off.  But  in  gospel 
simplicity  the  love-power,  unrivalled,  reigns  in  sweet 
harmony  with  the  will.  Love  says,  ''  Do  this,"  and 
the  will  does  it  upon  the  well-known  prompting.  If 
the  love-power  thus  assert  itself,  engagements  to 
our  God  which  would  otherwise  be  hard  work, 
(legalist's  work),  become  easy,  and  exceedingly 
pleasant. 

There  is  great  sweetness  in  the  leading  of  the 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  79 

Holy  Ghost.  Where  it  was  once  difficult  to  stand 
up  in  the  face  of  strong  opposition,  or  to  the  per- 
formance of  severe  labor  or  the  carrying  out  of 
strict  discipline,  it  becomes,  for  Jesu^  sake,  a  prec- 
ious work.  Not  easy  to  the  flesh  indeed  !  Morti- 
fication of  the  flesh  may  be  painful,  but  most  cheer- 
fully done,  notwithstanding,  for  Him.  The  love  of 
Jesus  rules.  Is  any  course  of  conduct  seen  to  be 
needful  for  the  declaration  of  His  glory  ?  That 
love  will  sweetly  determine  the  will ;  and,  not  the 
mouth  (words  are  useless  here,  resolutions  are 
vanity),  but  the  whole  being  acts  out  the  inward 
will.  And  so  we  "always  triumph  in  Christ"  by  the 
power  of  God.  Our  action  says,  "  I  will."  Thus 
it  is  that  saints  become  known,  and  know  themselves 
as  persons  who  will  do  the  will  of  God  at  any 
cost. 

Yes,  at  any  cost !  All  our  powers  and  property 
belong  to  God.  All  His  things  (so  far  as  they  apper- 
tain to  us)  belong  to  us.  We  can  now  easily  say 
**  at  any  cost."  Having  laid  our  all  upon  His  altar, 
and  bound  the  gift  there,  our  hands  entirely  taken 
off  from  what  we  once  esteemed  our  own,  He  has 
all  with  our  full  consent : 

"  My  all  to  Christ  I've  given, 
My  talents,  time,  and  voice, 
My  self,  my  reputation  ; 
The  lone  way  is  my  choice." 

Does  the   duty  of  the  hour  call  for  a  face  of 


8o  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

flint  ?  I^et  the  face  of  flint  be  set.  He  that  is  for 
us  is  more  than  all  that  can  be  against  us.  Our 
whole  being  cries  out  for  God  in  the  emergency, 
and  we  stand  ready  to  oppose  the  works  of  dark- 
ness, to  rebuke  sin,  and  to  do  it  in  the  spirit  and 
temper  of  Christ.  Does  the  engagement  (I  am  not 
partial  to  the  word  duty,  as  it  has  often  been  a  sort 
of  Galatian  snare)  stand  at  the  post  of  danger  ? 
There  our  being  goes  for  Jesus'  sake.  Is  it  only  a 
little  thing  ?  To  a  soul  thus  determined  for  Jesus 
there  are  no  little  sins  or  little  engagements. 
What  some  would  think  little  sins,  are  fearful  in- 
roads upon  the  authority  of  our  God,  and  upon  his 
holiness;  what  some  would  name  lesser  duties 
stand  as  parts  of  our  covenant  life.  We  may  not 
with  impunity  despise  the  day  of  small  things,  nor 
call  the  things  little  by  which  our  God  is  served  or 
dishonored : 

"Think  nought  a  trifle,  though  it  small  appear ; 

Small  sands  the  mountain,  moments  make  the  year. 
And  trifles,  life.     Your  care  to  trifles  give. 

Else  you  may  die  ere  you  have  learned  to  live." 

There  is  an  object  which  will  be  very  often  found 
to  set  these  powers  upon  their  delightful  work  : 
''  For  Jesus'  sake."  He  is  the  "  One  Altogether 
lovely."  There  is  no  glow  of  aflection  so  enkind- 
ling, so  enrapturing,  so  exalting  into  holy  action, 
as  His  love.  There  is  no  charm  so  great  by  far 
in  any  other  name.     It  carries  with  it  into  every 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  8 1 

Christian  heart  holy  triumph  over  everything  that 
could  be  adverse  to  spiritual  action,  that  could 
daunt  the  zeal  of  a  saint.  This  only  name  is 
betier  than  husband  or  wife,  than  brother  or  sister, 
than  dearest  and  nearest  friend.  Let  me  say  to 
any  professor  of  religion  to  whom  this  may  not  be 
so,  stop  at  once  and  have  this  matter  settled. 
You  may,  you  probably  will,  be  called  upon  to 
stand  up  in  behalf  of  his  name,  against  the  feel- 
ings and  insinuations  of  your  very  best  friends. 
The  question  may  occur  in  ways  you  do  not  now 
expect,  which  would  even  astonish  you  (being  un- 
surrounded  by  persecuting  Jews),  "Wilt  thou  lay 
down  thy  life  for  my  sake  ?  " 

Jesus  uttered  words  which  now  call  out  the  ques- 
tion, " Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  ?"  "I  am 
come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father, 
and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the 
daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law.  And  a 
man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household." 
And  again,  the  Master  spake  to  every  age  of  Chris- 
tians hitherto,  "  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose 
it,  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall 
fmd  it."  How  inexpressibly  precious  must  Jesus  be 
when  he  is  to  be  chosen  before  all,  in  emergencies 
which  try  the  heart-strings.  This  heavenly  Bride- 
groom, this  good  Shepherd,  this  Almighty  Friend, 
this  Divine  Elder  Brother,  has  and  shall  have  the 
unrivalled  place  within  us.  "  For  Jesus'  sake." 
6 


82  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Do  you  ask  its  significancy  ?  It  means  that  our 
highest  powers  are  engaged  to  do  or  to  suffer.  It 
calls  forth  the  most  complete  subjection  of  our 
will.  It  thoroughly  and  eternally  engages  us  to 
leave  all,  to  oppose  all,  to  favor  all,  to  do  all  things, 
whenever,  and  under  what  circumstances  soever, 
these  actions  are  called  for.  For  Jesus'  sake  !  It 
is  my  last  promotion  —  the  sum  of  all  my  former 
ambition  —  the  goal  of  my  intense  desires.  "I 
have  found  it."  To  do,  to  live,  to  suffer,  to  be 
nothing  ^'■for  Jesus'  sake''  —  this  is  perpetual  bHss 
—  this  is  eternal  youth.  When  this  is  at  the 
bottom  of  the  principle,  the  will  will  carry  out  the 
"  mind  that  is  in  Christ." 

If  my  reader  is  determined  to  be  a  sanctified 
person,  having  his  all  on  the  altar,  to  be  the  Lord's 
alone,  let  him  see  the  only  way  of  Holiness,  in 
this: 

SIMPLE    FAITH    AND    HOLINESS. 

Let  us  understand  the  way  of  simple  faith.  It 
is  exceedingly  simple.  Its  motto,  its  life,  the  life 
which  flows  from  it,  is  only  jesus.  Without  Him 
it  can  do  nothing,  though  the  strength  of  years 
should  be  laid  out ;  with  him  it  "  can  do  all  things," 
though  not  a  hand  be  put  forth  upon  the  task,  often 
found  an  impossibility.  Simple  faith  —  that  is, 
faith  without  any  admixture  of  looking  to  means  — 
is  fastened  to  Christ  as  its  "  all  in  all." 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  83 

It  is  a  very  common  failure  of  Christian  life  to 
put  a  large  share  of  trust  in  the  means  used.  They 
say  they  do  not  trust  in  the  means,  but  a  little  ex- 
amination proves  that  they  expect  the  means  to 
work  out  certain  results.  For  example,  to  be  holy, 
they  need  to  be  very  regular  in  all  their  devotions, 
constant  students  of  the  Word  of  God,  very  sub- 
missive to  his  providence ;  they  must  have  deep 
thoughts  upon  the  cross  of  Christ ;  they  must  be 
regularly  engaged  in  his  service ;  they  must  be  full 
of  words  and  works  for  the  Lord.  So  they  expect 
to  become  holier,  and  so  to  attain  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ. 

It  is  very  true  that  this  is  a  mention  of  engage- 
ments which  every  Christian  loves,  but  it  is,  after 
all,  not  God's  way  of  holiness.  That  is,  God  has 
not  made  any  or  all  of  these  a  help  to  His  own 
work  in  the  soul,  or  a  substitute  for  the  way  of 
faith.  Those  who  calculate  upon  the  sanctifying 
nature  of  these  things  will  find  a  way  which  in- 
volves far  less  disappointment  and  trial,  which  is 
full  of  pleasures,  and  turns  life  into  a  psalm.  That 
way  is  Christ,  and  these  things  are  rather  the  marks 
of  sanctification  than  its  helps  —  they  are  the  fruits 
of  Christ's  work,  and  not  His  servants  in  doing  it. 

Simple  faith,  instead  of  looking  to  these,  looks  at 
once  and  only  to  Jesus.  It  trusts  Him  alone  to 
accomplish  the  sanctification  of  the  soul.  It  be- 
lieves Him  for  this,  as  it  believed  Him  for  the  re- 


84  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

mission  of  sins  at  first.  Nothing  but  His  blood 
could  stand  for  their  sins,  nothing  but  his  blood 
could  cleanse  the  record  of  past  sins.  None  but 
His  Holy  Spirit  can  impart  the  energy  of  holiness 
to  the  soul ;  and  that  He  will  give  His  Holy  Spirit 
to  those  who  ask  Him,  none  need  to  doubt  for  a 
single  instant.  Simple  faith  does  not  doubt  it.  It 
takes  Jesus  at  his  word,  and  it  presents  every  word 
at  His  throne  with  entire  confidence.  It  is  its 
province  to  believe  at  once  that  what  Jesus 
promised  is  done  the  very  moment  it  rests  upon  his 
word.     Else  it  would  not  be  simple  faith. 

A  beautiful  representation  of  it  is  given  in  the 
case  of  the  man  with  a  withered  arm.  Jesus  told 
him  to  stretch  it  forth.  He  did  not  at  all  question. 
He  did  not  say,  ^'  Lord,  it  is  withered.  I  have 
not  done  that  for  years."  But  He  took  the  Lord 
at  His  word,  and  stretched  it  forth.  Now,  when 
Jesus  tells  us  to  be  holy  (it  cannot  be  denied  that 
He  came  to  make  us  holy),  He  surely  should  not 
have  the  answer,  "  Lord,  I  am  unholy.  I  have 
always  been  unholy.  I  never  expect  to  be  holy. 
Though  the  word  enjoins  it  many  times,  yet  in  this 
life  it  is  out  of  the  question — it  is  against  all  my 
experience  and  observation."  No,  do  not  give 
that  answer  to  Jesus.  Oh  !  do  not  grieve  him  so ! 
But  go  at  once  and  praise  Him  for  the  accomp- 
lished work.     That  is  simple  faith.     How  else  can 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  85 

we  conceive  of  simple  faith  ?     Jesus  has  said,  "  Be 
holy." 

How  can  we  be  holy  ?  We  are  just  as  helpless 
to  be  holy  as  the  man  with  the  withered  arm  was 
to  stretch  it  out.  All  our  works  can  never  make 
us  holy  or  holier.  They  themselves  need  the  blood 
of  atonement.  And  so  with  all  our  thoughts.  We 
need  not  stop  to  prove  it.  Blessed  be  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  simple  faith  praises  Him  for  the  com- 
mand, and  believes  the  work  accomplished.  It  is 
done  by  the  all-powerful  Jesus,  who  reigns  in  the 
hearts  of  His  people,  and  who  delivers  them  from 
all  things  "according  to  their  faith."  Simple  faith 
believes  the  word,  that  "  the  very  God  of  peace 
sanctifies  us  wholly,"  and  "  that  our  whole  spirit 
and  soul  and  body  is  preserved  blameless  unto  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  why  does 
faith  take  such  amazing  comforts  for  such  poor, 
helpless  souls  ?  Because  it  rests  on  the  word  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  "  Faithful  is  He  that  calleth  you, 
'VVho  also  will  do  it." 

This  simple  faith  is  in  momentary  exercise.  It 
does  not  believe  that  hoHness  which  it  receives 
from  Christ  is  infallibility,  for  this  has  never  been, 
promised  ;  but  it  does  believe,  that,  as  it  momenta- 
rily looks  luito  Jesus,  it  gets  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  done  within,  it  keeps  the  cleansing  which  it 
enjoyed  at  first,  and  that  it  is  enabled  to  please 
God.     Enabled.     For  all  the  energy  of  living  to 


86  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

God,  and  like  unto  Jesus  Christ,  comes  alone  by 
His  own  Holy  Spirit.  Hence,  faith  trusts  his  pres- 
ence, has  a  sure  word  of  promise  to  lean  upon, 
and  can  doubt  nothing  as  to  the  result. 

Christian  reader,  have  you  yet  entered  into  this 
precious  rest  of  simple  faith,  in  which  you  take 
Jesus  at  His  word,  and  trust  Him  to  do  in  your 
soul  what  you  have  always  found  impossible  ?  Rest 
assured  that  the  only  way  of  holiness  is  Christ. 
Not  means,  not  exertions,  not  growth,  but  Christ 
and  Christ  alone.  If  you  have  been  beset  by  doubts 
of  your  acceptance,  by  fears  of  coming  evil,  by 
anxieties  concerning  the  future,  by  burdens  of  vari- 
ous names,  by  habitual  sins,  and  yieldings  to  sin, 
Christ  can  help  you.  Christ  can  drive  out  your 
enemies  and  His.  Let  Him  do  it.  Give  your  all 
and  yourself  into  His  hands.  Hold  nothing  back, 
but  trust  Him  by  simple  faith  to  do  with  you  and 
all  you  have  according  to  His  own  will. 

The  way  of  simple  faith  is  a  way  of  rest.  It  puts 
all  our  business  on  Him,  and  it  is  fixed  on  His 
promises,  which  He  is  able  and  willing,  and  even 
waiting  to  perform  ;  only  waiting  for  you  to  believe. 
He  cannot  do  mighty  works  for  you  unless  you  be- 
lieve. When  you  simply  rest  on  Him  to  do  all  for 
you,  it  will  be  a  rest  such  as  you  have  never  known. 
Your  "  peace  will  be  like  a  river." 

We  do  not  disparage  means,  but  we  put  them  in 
their  proper  place.     Nothing  comes  before  Christ. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  87 

Christ  first  and  last ;  and  true  means  are  simply  the 
result  of  Christ  in  you.  A  man  eats  because  he  is 
alive,  because  he  is  in  health,  and  this  may  be  a 
means  of  life  and  health,  but  he  scarcely  thinks  of 
using  food  as  a  means  —  it  is  a  consequence  of 
life  and  health.  Let  Christ  reign  triumphant  in  the 
soul,  and  rather  than  our  cultivating  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  they  shall  spring  up  in  a  gracious  neces- 
sity of  life,  the  sign  of  life,  the  evidence  of  life. 

"Abide  in  me  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
vine,  no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  me." 
^'■Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  in- 
deed unto  si?i,  but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.'* 

Y  or  Jesus  saves  His  people  from  their  sins.  Not 
in  them.  It  is  therefore  the  believer's  privilege  to 
be  free  from  sin.  Not  without  Jesus,  but  by  His 
grace.  He  every  moment  needs  the  merit  of  His 
death.  His  presence.  His  Spirit,  and  we  rejoice  that 
these  are  secured  to  him  by  the  promise  of  Him 
who  "  cannot  lie." 

Now,  every  moment  having  these,  is  he  not 
cleansed  from  all  unrighteousness?  Is  he  not 
"meet  for  the  Master's  use,"  by  "this  grace 
wherein  he  stands"?  God  says  so.  "For  He 
hath  made  Him  to  be  sin  for  us,  Who  knew  no  sin  ; 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
Him."     Surely  none  of  us  believe  that  He  is  our 


S8  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

righteousness  only  in  a  judicial  sense,  for  then  we 
could  not  at  all  be  prepared  for  heaven,  the  enjoy- 
ments of  which  we  can  never  share  without  holi- 
ness. 

We  all  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  our  right- 
eousness also  in  a  practical  sense.  In  the  judicial 
sense,  He  is  our  justification;  in  the  practical 
sense.  He  is  our  sanctification.  These  are  insepa- 
rable. No  man  can  be  sanctified  without  a  previ- 
ous justification  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  no  man  is  ever  justified  without  being  also 
sanctified.  Thus  it  is  our  common  privilege  "  to  be 
filled  with  the  knowledge  of  His  will  in  all  wisdom 
and  spiritual  understanding ;  that  we  might  walk 
worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful 
in  every  good  work."  And  hence,  we  are  reminded 
of  "  giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  /laf/i  made 
us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light." 

But  there  are  some  of  the  Lord's  dear  people 
who  do  not  believe  this.     They  believe  that  they 

( will  be  made  meet  when  the  time  comes  for  them 
to  die.  Then  according  to  their  faith  it  must  be 
unto  them.  If  they  do  not  believe  it,  they  cannot 
be  so,  because  the  whole  of  our  salvation  is  by 
faith.     "We  walk   by  faith,  not  by  sight."      They 

I  believe  they  are  sanctified,  but  not  wholly ;  and  so 
it  is  in  their  case  :  they  are  not  wholly  sanctified, 
nor  can  they  be,  without  faith  in  Him  who  "  work- 


/ 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  89 

eth  in  us  to  will  and  to  do."  But  what  is  sanctifi- 
cation  to  them  ?  It  is,  with  respect  to  actual  sin, 
a  being  "  enabled  more  and  more  to  die  unto  "  the 
habit  of  sinning. 

That  is  the  doctrine  of  men,  but  with  deep  affec- 
tion we  must  say  that  it  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the 
^^'ord  of  God.  According  to  that  precious  Book, 
the  new  creature  is  already  '■^ dead  to  sm,'^  "that 
like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in 
newness  of  life."  The  "  newness  of  life  "  here  re- 
ferred to  is  doubtless  the  restored  image  of  God 
in  "  knowledge,  righteousness,  and  true  holiness." 
This  new  creature  views  all  old  things  as  passed 
away,  and  gets  its  daily,  hourly,  momentary  nour- 
ishment from  its  vital  union  with  its  Root,  its  living 
Head,  Christ.  Now  it  is  by  faith  that  this  union 
gives  its  blessed  effects  to  the  children  of  God.  To 
speak  very  plainly,  they  believe  in  God  to  do  it  for 
them,  and  he  honors  their  faith.  They  receive  just 
what  they  believe  they  will  receive,  for  such  is  the 
promise. 

The  proclamation  to  saints  that  they  are  sini^rs, 
and  the  embracing  of  the  word  "  sinner"  as  express- 
ive of  our  own  condition, "is,  therefore,  a  systematic 
cultivation  of  unbelief  We  are  not  sinners  in  the 
sense  of  active  transgression  of  the  law,  if  we  are 
receiving  out  of  the  fulness  of  Christ  Jesus  *'  grace 


9©  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

for  grace."  By  no  means.  He  is  just  then  saving 
us  FROM  SIN.     And  we  should  give  Him  the  glory. 

If  the  person  sin  in  deed,  and  know  it,  then  he 
is  not  receiving  the  grace  of  Christ.  You  ask  me, 
"  How  can  I  beHeve  that  Christ  saves  me  from  sin, 
when  I  see  the  sin  ?  "  Well,  reader,  suppose  that 
the  impotent  man  had  said,  "  How  can  I  rise  and 
walk,  when  I  am  so  utterly  helpless  ?  Do  you  not 
see.  Lord,  that  I  am  unable  ? "  The  fact  was, 
when  Jesus  wrought  his  miracles,  that  men  believed 
they  were  cured.  And  so  does  the  convicted  sin- 
ner rest  in  Christ  out  of  the  most  doleful  confusion 
of  his  past  sins.  He  says  at  first,  "  How  can  I  be- 
lieve my  sins  are  forgiven,  when  the  Lord  is  making 
me  feel  the  misery  of  them  ?  How  can  I  believe 
until  He  makes  me  feel  that  they  are  forgiven  ? " 
The  poor  soul  finding  this  to  be  no  way  for  comfort, 
at  last  simply  believes  God's  Word,  that  they  are 
forgiven,  against  former  appearances,  and  then 
comes  the  joy  of  his  salvation. 

It  must  be  so  in  the  way  of  sanctification  by 
faith.  God  says,  "  Ye  are  complete  in  Him." 
M%n  says,  "Yes,  I  am  judicially  complete,  Lord, 
but  I  am  practically  very  incomplete."  The  be- 
liever there  takes  upon  himself  a  very  great  incon- 
sistency. For  in  the  way  of  the  Lord  there  is  no 
such  inconsistency.  He  has  not  told  us  that  it 
must  inevitably  be  so.  He  has  not  acquitted  us  at 
His  judgment  seat,  with  the  previous  contemplation. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH  9 1 

of  having  us  condemned  by  our  practice.  Our 
justification  and  sanctification  are  placed  together 
by  the  divine  hand,  and  when  man  undertakes  to 
separate  them,  he  plunges  himself  and  others  into 
union  with  a  wretched  body  of  death.  In  other 
words,  while  he  is  married  to  Christ,  he  becomes 
united  to  the  law  and  works,  and  hence  feels  the 
sorrow  of  legalism,  the  sorrow  of  leaving  the  true 
spouse,  Christ.  (Rom.  vii.)  He  was  alive  without 
the  law  in  Christ ;  he  is  now  reduced  again  to 
\\Tetchedness  when  the  commandment  comes,  and 
sin  revives,  and  he  dies  to  this  holy  life. 

The  divine  union  of  justification  with  sanctifica- 
tion is  seen  in  Rom.  v.  1-5.  Here  is  justification 
and  peace  with  God  in  the  first  verse,  a  practical 
standing  in  grace  and  joy  of  hope  in  the  second 
verse,  followed  in  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  verses 
by  the  most  prominent  marks  of  a  deeply  sanctified 
experience,  and  all  as  a  result  of  His  abounding 
grace,  "Who  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and 
was  raised  again  for  our  justification." 

All  this,  the  restoration  of  the  image  of  God, 
beautiful  in  His  sight  among  the  ruins  of  the  fall ; 
is  the  work  of  Jesus,  the  privilege  of  every  believer, 
and  the  preaching  of  less  than  this  is  the  preaching 
of  a  partial  gospel. 

My  soul  melts  within  me,  my  heart  boils  up,  as 
I  write  this  truth  of  God,  a  heaven  begun  below. 
Beloved,  infinite  weakness  ourselves,  His  strength 


92  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

in  us  shall  be  great ;  ignorance  ourselves,  his  wis- 
dom brings  to  us  the  enjoyment  of  the  very  powers 
of  the  world  to  come.  It  is  Jesus,  only  Jesus, 
praise  his  dear  name  ! 

"  Jesus  all  the  day  long 
Is  our  joy  and  our  song." 

ONLY    BELIEVE.       WE    WILL   THEREFORE    REMEMBER 
THE    believer's    FOUNTAIN. 

Every  house  is  provided  with  water  —  water  for 
drinking,  water  for  cleansing.  What  would  the 
house  be  without  its  fountain  ?  And  the  house  is 
most  to  be  chosen,  all  other  things  being  equal, 
which  has  the  best  fountain  accommodations.  In 
that  house  you  expect  to  find  none  that  are 
thirsty,  and  no  want  of  cleanliness. 

So  every  believer  has  a  fountain.  He  has  a 
fountain  in  God,  and  one  in  himself.  All  this  is  of 
grace,  since  we  love  Him  because  "  He  first  loved 
us."  Let  no  man  think  and  act  as  though  his  re- 
sources* were  in  himself  For  they  are  not.  He 
can  have  no  good  in  himself  whatever,  since  all  his 
strength  is  weakness,  his  wisdom  foolishness,  and 
his  beauty  like  the  passing  cloud.  This  the  most 
godly  continually  confess,  and  those  nearest  to  God, 
and  most  active  in  his  Churth,  cry  out,  "  All  my 
springs  are  in  Thee."  Not  by  his  own  works  then, 
but  by  grace,  the  believer  has  this  twofold  fountain. 

I.  He  has  a  fountain  in  God.     "  God  is  my  hab- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  93 

itation,  whereunto  I  continually  resort."  The  re- 
sources of  the  Christian,  as  stored  up  in  God,  are 
infinite.  In  God  he  knows  no  want.  *'  In  the 
WORLD  ye  shall  have  tribulation."  "  These  things 
have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have 
peace."  The  secret  spring  of  that  peace,  which 
betokens  atonement,  supply,  and  the  command  of 
all  needful  things,  is  alone  in  God.  Everything 
in  God. 

As  we  by  nature  are  utterly  unclean,  our  cleans- 
ing is  in  Him.  Hence,  we  know  God  as  He  is  re- 
vealed to  us  in  the  glorious  plan  of  salvation.  The 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  God 
the  Father  we  have  pardon  and  acceptance  ;  be- 
cause in  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  we  have  the  cleansing 
blood,  without  which  "  there  is  no  remission  ; "  and 
in  the  Holy  Ghost  we  have  divine  application  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  of  the  divine  power  for  all 
needful  things,  besides  that  by  Him  we  are  made 
*'  partakers  of  the  divine  nature."  Why  do  any 
stay  away  from  God  because  they  are  not  clean 
enough  ?  Oh,  come  and  get  purity  in  God !  It 
dwells  nowhere  b|it  in  Him,  and  you  cannot  get  it 
away  from  Him. 

"  Is  he  a  fountain  ?    There  I  bathe 
And  heal  the  plagues  of  sin  and  death  ; 
These  waters  all  my  soul  renew, 
And  cleanse  my  spotted  garments  too." 

If  we  have  cleansing  in  Him,  of  what  can  we 


94  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

be  denied?  O  believers!  is  God  our  fountain? 
Yea,  God  himself!  How  mean  to  be  delighted 
from  any  other  sources  of  comfort  !  As  mean  in 
us  as  they  are  perishing.  "  Be  astonished,  O  ye 
heavens  !  at  this,  and  be  horribly  afraid,  be  ye  very 
desolate,"  saith  the  Lord.  "  For  my  people  have 
committed  two  evils  :  they  have  forsaken  me,  the 
fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out 
cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water." 

2.  The  believer  has  also  a  fountain  in  himself 
For  the  great  God  has  also  proclaimed  that  "  He 
will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them."  "  I  live," 
said  Paul,  "  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me." 
God  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  divine  representative  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  one  with  Him,  dwelleth  in  us, 
and  so  Jesus  now  graciously  performeth  His  word 
unto  us  in  these  Gospel  days.  And  He  always  ap- 
plies within  us  the  works  of  Jesus.  As  Jesus  on 
the  cross  cried  out,  "  It  is  finished,"  so  the  Holy 
Ghost  saith  to  them,  when  they  believe,  that  the 
work  is  finished  in  them.  "  He  that  believeth  on 
me,"  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  "  out  of  his  belly 
shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  This  spake  He 
of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  "believe  on  Him 
should  receive." 

Believer,  are  you  conscious  of  this  fountain  with- 
in your  soul,  "  springing  up  unto  everlasting  life  "  ? 
And  are  you  conscious  of  the  ever-present  cleans- 
ing by  a  Saviour's  blood  ?     Then  is  your  soul  free 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 


95 


from  "  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil."     If  not, 
are  you  in  your  right  mind  ? 

THE    DIVINE  METHOD  OF   MAKING  US    HOLY  IS    SEEN 
IN   TWO   THINGS. 

God's  words  are  not  ambiguous.  Nothing  can  en- 
ter heaven  which  "  worketh  abomination  or  maketh 
a  lie,"  nor  any  "fearful,"  or  ''unbelieving."  Is  it 
possible  that  we  are  left  without  hope  ?  No,  it  is 
not  possible.  God  says  we  must  be  holy  on  earth, 
and  has  made  full  provision  for  it.  In  this  great 
salvation  the  Lord  Jesus  has  done  two  things  for 
us.  These  two  things  are  the  purchase  of  His 
precious  blood  ;  they  are  inseparable. 

The  first  of  these  goes  under  the  name  of  impu- 
tation. Imputation  of  His  righteousness  is  the 
reckoning  of  His  blood  upon  the  books  of  judg- 
ment. It  cancels  all  the  sins  recorded  against  us. 
It  is  a  perfect  work,  so  that  not  one  of  the  old  sins 
can  stand.  However  dreadful  the  crime,  it  is  re- 
membered no  more.  The  blood  which  Jesus 
spilled  is  upon  the  books,  and  this  is  God's  way  of 
putting  our  sins  behind  His  back.  So  we  are  free 
from  the  old  sins,  and  they  can  never  rise  against 
us  any  more,  unless  indeed  we  depart  from  God. 
The  reckoning  of  imputation  covers  not  only  past 
sins  but  the  natural  infirmities  of  our  fallen  human- 
ity —  our  weakness,  our  incompleteness,  and  every- 
thing in  our  natural  constitution,  which  unfits  us 


g6  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

from  that  most  perfect  conformity  to  the  law,  which 
we  may  suppose  belongs  to  angelic  or  Adamic 
character.  This  must  be  so,  else  we  could  never 
be  made  the  "  righteousness  of  God  in  Him,"  nor 
could  it  be  once  said  that  we  are  "  complete  in 
Him."  And  so,  by  imputation,  the  records  of  the 
past  and  the  constitutional  incompleteness  of  the 
past  and  of  the  future,  in  other  words,  our  weak- 
ened powers,  all  find  completeness. 

This  imputation  is  the  first  thought  in  our  salva- 
tion, and  a  very  important  part  of  it,  dut  not  the 
whole  of  it.  If  this  were  all,  we  should  perish,  for 
it  puts  in  us  no  righteousness.  It  is  a  work  out- 
side of  us.  It  is  a  work  on  the  past  record  and 
for  our  passive  humanity.  It  has  no  reference  to 
future  and  active  transgression.  God  has  provided 
otherwise  for  that.  For  our  salvation  is  not  for- 
ensic, but  a  real,  and  present,  and  full  salvation. 
It  is  not  a  work  done  only  in  heaven,  but  done 
both  in  heaven  and  in  us.  In  heaven  we  are  justi- 
fied from  past  sins  and  from  fallen  powers  ;  on  earth 
we  are  sanctified  from  future  sins,  according  to  the 
promise,  "  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  clean  from  all  your  filthiness,  and 
from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you." 

The  second  thing  is  the  impartation  of  Himself^ 
by  His  divine  Agent,  the  Holy  Ghost.  Without 
this,  imputation  would  be  only  half  a  salvation. 
With  this,  it  is  full.     These,  then,  are  the  two  words 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  97 

that  express  what  Jesus  has  done  for  us,  Imputa- 
tion and  Impartation.  The  latter  expresses  His 
own  indweUing.  And  if  Christ  dwell  within  us, 
who  shall  describe  the  glorious  results  ?  What  can 
He  not  do,  what  has  he  not  promised  to  do  in  the 
way  of  filling  us  with  righteousness  ?  If  we  try  to 
cleanse  ourselves  we  shall  be  unfit  for  His  dwelling, 
but  if  we  believe  He  will  cleanse  us,  and  if  we  give 
up  the  work  to  Him  He  will  see  it  well  done.  He 
will  make  our  souls  fit  for  God  to  dwell  in.  He 
will  complete  the  work  in  sovereign  power.  This 
is  the  only  way.  Do  not  try  to  cleanse  your  own 
hearts.  You  cannot  even  see  how  much  evil  there 
is  in  them.     Do  not  try  it  yourself 

"  Cast  your  deadly  doing  down, 
Down  at  Jesus'  feet  ; 
Stand  in  Him,  in  Him  alone, 
Glonously  complete  "  — 

complete  in  all  the  will  of  God,  His  blood  com- 
l^letely  imputed,  His  spirit  completely  imparted, 
your  soul  completely  at  rest  from  sin,  and  God 
complacent  with  you  for  the  righteousness  of  the 
law  fulfilled  in  you  through  an  indwelling  Christ. 
So  the  inward  struggle  with  sin  is  ended.  God 
meant  it  should  be.  He  meant  we  should  be  free 
with  the  glorious  liberty  w^herewith  the  Son  makes 
free.  Free  indeed.  Free  from  sin  and  from  every 
burden.  And  thus  the  inner  ma?i  beifig  free  from 
7 


98  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

struggles^  we  can  easily  go  out  and  fight  the  powers 
of  darkness. 

There  is  much  of  this  to  be  done.  The  Apos- 
tles had  it  to  do.  We  may  well  suppose  that  they 
would  have  sunk  under  their  load,  if  they  had  had 
both  inward  and  outward  foes  to  contend  with. 
But  the  inward  were  all  conquered  by  Christ's  divine 
inworking.  He  shone  within  their  souls  with  heav- 
enly light,  and  entirely  scattered  the  darkness 
which  sin  had  made,  and  this  light  was  their  joy. 
Christ  within  !  Oh,  what  can  He  not  accomplish 
for  one  who  simply  trusts  Him  ?  "  Thou  wilt  keep 
him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee, 
because  he  trusted  in  Thee."  "  In  whom,  though 
now  we  see  Him  not,  yet  believing,  we  rejoice  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  Yes,  glory 
within,  and  victory  without,  the  work  of  an  all- 
conquering  Saviour,  by  whom  our  enemies  "  shall 
not  be  able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  the  spirit " 
with  which  we  shall  speak. 

Believers,  on  whom  do  you  trust  ?  On  Jesus 
only  ?  Then  you  will  be  wonderful  persons.  For 
He  is  wonderful  in  working,  strong  in  power ;  not 
one  faileth  of  all  that  He  undertaketh.  Now  do 
not  act  as  if  it  were  Jesus  and  you.  You  have 
nothing  to  do  in  the  matter  of  cleansing  your  soul 
but  to  trust  to  Him.  "■  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  you  believe  on  Him  whom  He  hath  sent  J*  No, 
it  is  Jesus  only. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  .  99 

This  view  of  the  impartation  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
explains  what  has  hitherto  been  the  cause  of  much 
objection.  Christians  tell  us  we  grow  into  this 
state  of  holiness,  and  that  we  must  be  wrong  in 
holding  that  any  can,  by  one  act,  ascend  the 
mount  which  has  cost  others  years  of  toilsome 
struggling.  But  here  it  is  seen  that  we  lay  down 
everything  and  all  effort  of  our  own,  that  the 
Almighty  Workman  may  work  His  miracle  of  grace. 
A  miracle  is  always  wonderful  —  and  this  transition 
into  holiness  is  always  a  miracle.  Those  very 
souls  who  had  spent  years  of  toilsome  stniggling 
were  at  last  made  holy  by  a  miracle  —  the  very 
same  as  in  our  own  case.  All  their  previous  strug- 
gling was  not  faith ;  it  was  unbelief 

They  ought  to  have  had  that  inward  struggle 
ended  long  before,  that  they  might  have  gone  out 
as  good  and  strong  soldiers  to  "  endure  hardness  " 
with  a  foe  whom  no  living  man,  save  the  God-man, 
has  ever  yet  conquered  alone.  This  inward  work 
is  done  immediately,  because  God  does  it.  Away, 
then,  with  the  trash,  the  vanity,  the  pomp,  the 
glitter  of  this  world ;  consecrate  all  to  Him,  and  let 
Him  at  once  make  you  a  free  man,  holy,  and 
WHOLLY  His  own. 

AN  OBJECTION  ANSWERED. LOOKING  UNTO   JESUS. 

In  a  conversation  with  some  brethren,  the  writer 
made  the  remark  that  he  did  not  call  a  "  saint "  a 


lOO  THE   REST   CF   FAITH. 

"  sinner."  One  of  the  brethren  asked  me  whether 
I  did  not  count  myself  a  sinner  ?  I  answered  thus  : 
"My  precious  Saviour  keeps  me  from  actual  sins," 
I  beUeved  then,  nor  is  my  faith  changed,  that  that 
answer  was  of  the  Lord. 

Some  time  after  the  utterance  of  that  answer,  I 
received,  from  one  who  only  sought  my  welfare  in 
writing  it,  the  following  communication,  headed  by 
the  above  answer,  and  let  me  state  that  my  reason 
for  presenting  this  communication  as  well  as  my 
answer,  is,  that  it  contains  the  most  natural  objec- 
tions to  the  position  which  I  hold,  so  that  the  two 
together  may  assist  in  illustrating  the  precious  ex- 
perience of  which  I  write  : 

"  '  My  precious  Saviour  keeps  me  from  actual 
sins.' 

"On  what  Scriptural  grounds  does  any  believer 
now  rank  his  experience  above  or  in  a  '  higher  life ' 
than  that  recorded  of  God's  saints  of  all  ages,  'of 
whom  the  world  was  not  worthy,'  and  whose  lives 
are  unerringly  recorded  for  our  ensamples  ?  e.g.., 
Noah  —  Did  he  not  '  walk  with  God  perfect  in  his 
generation '  ?  Is  there  not  actual  sin  written  of 
him  after  this  testimony  of  God  Himself?  Abraham 
—  did  he  not  believe  God  so  that  it  *  was  counted 
to  him  for  righteousness,'  etc.,  etc.  ?  Is  there  not 
the  same  record,  and  afterwards  ?  Sarah,  Isaac, 
Jacob  ?     Is  it  not  the  same  ? 

"Moses?     Did  he  talk  with  God  as  friend  to 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  lOI 

friend  ?  "What  kept  him  from  the  promised  land  ? 
Sampson,  Jephtha,  what  of  them?  David,  'after 
God's  own  heart'?  Peter?  'I  have  prayed  for 
thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not.'  Paul,  'chief  of  sin- 
ners.' '  When  I  would  do  good,'  etc.,  etc.  Daniel, 
'  confessing  my  sin,'  and  others  everywhere. 

"Query.  Did  the  spirit  of  inspiration  rightly 
apprehend  and  portray  lives  of  men  greatly  beloved, 
'  looking  unto  Jesus,'  yet  actually  committing  such 
sins  ?  Does  my  brother  rightly  apprehend  his  own 
life  in  dreaming  it  higher  than  that  of  these  memor- 
able men  of  God,  written  by  God  Himself,  in  His 
own  Word  ? 

"  We  shall  be  like  Him  (our  precious  Jesus)  when 
we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.  Meantime,  much  better 
with  beloved  Daniel  confess  our  sins,  with  Peter 
weep  bitterly  over  our  shortcomings.  We  have 
not  a  High  Priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities  ;  but  was  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin,  i.e.^  he 
had  not  and  has  not  sin.     We  had  and  have  sin. 

"  Does  your  view  agree  with  the  standards  of 
the  Church?" 

My  answer  to  the  above  was  as  follows  : 

New  York,  Sept.  21,  1866. 
"My  precious  Saviour  keeps   me   from  actual 
sins." 

I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  He  does  not  so 


I02  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

keep  me,  for  that  would  be  gainsaying  my  most 
positive,  conscientious  convictions.  If  he  cannot 
do  it,  or  will  not  do  it,  or  never  does  it,  then  we 
are  preaching  in  vain  that  the  help  of  the  inebriate 
backslider  is  only  in  his  Saviour,  and  the  help  also 
of  every  Christian  in  keeping  himself  "  unspotted 
from  the  world"  is  solely  and  alone  as  he  looks  to 
Jesus. 

I  have  not  for  a  moment  engaged  in  "  dreaming 
my  own  life  higher  than  that  of  those  memorable 
men  of  God,  written  by  God  Himself  in  His  own 
Word."  I  have  never  said  I  could  not  fall.  On 
the  contrary,  God  is  my  witness  that  my  lips  could 
never  say  as  fully  as  they  do  at  this  precise  point 
of  time :  "I  keep  my  body  under,  and  bring  it 
into  subjection;  lest  that  by  any  means  when  I 
have  preached  to  others  I  myself  would  be  a  cast- 
away." If  you  have  met  any  true  believer  who 
'^  ranked  his  experience  above  or  in  a  '  higher  life ' 
than  that  recorded  of  God's  saints,"  I  certainly 
cannot  be  that  one,  for  I  have  never  met  you  upon 
this  subject  without  disclaiming  that  position. 

My  "higher  life"  experience  is,  that  it  is  higher 
than  any  I  ever  enjoyed  before.  And  as  for  four- 
teen years  I  have  occupied  a  post  of  observation 
in  the  pastoral  •  office,  in  my  measure  (which,  in 
deep  humility  be  it  said,  both  for  the  people  and 
for  myself,  was  probably  somewhat  above  them  in 
spiritual  things)  —  in  my  measure  "discerning  all 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I03 

things "  —  I  conclude  that  the  people  might  and 
are  privileged  to  live  a  much  higher  life  also. 

How  might  they  live  a  higher  life  —  how  might 
any  live  a  higher  life  than  they  do  ?  There  is  only 
one  way.  "  Looking  unto  Jesus."  "  Let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so 
easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus,  the 
Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith."  How  shall  he 
lay  aside  every  weight  but  by  "  looking  unto  Jesus  "  ? 
How  shall  he  lay  down  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset  him,  but  by  "looking  unto  Jesus"?  How 
shall  he  run  with  patience,  but  by  an  intent  and 
constant  "looking  unto  Jesus"?  If  he  does  not 
look  unto  Jesus,  will  he  not  fall  like  Peter? 

Was  David  "looking  unto  Jesus"  when  he  put 
an  evil  eye  upon  Bathsheba?  Was  Noah  "look- 
ing unto  Jesus"  when  he  closed  his  eyes  with 
strong  drink?  Was  Moses  "looking  unto  Jesus" 
when  in  anger  he  smote  the  rock  and  gave  not 
God  the  glory  ?  And  would  there  not  have  been 
power  and  willingness  in  Jesus,  by  His  blood  and 
Spirit,  to  have  kept  them  from  these  awful  failures  ? 

Faith  may  have  existed  in  these  as  the  children 
of  God,  in  its  principle,  but  surely  it  was  not  in 
exercise.  Peter  was  not  exercising  faith  when  he 
denied  his  Lord.  I  call  his  denial  of  Christ,  for 
which  he  wept  bitterly,  more  than  a  "  shortcom- 


I04  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

ing,"  for  it  was  in  itself,  and  was  connected  with 
the  most  loathsome  sins  of  the  profane. 

As  before,  so  now  let  me  repeat,  that  I  believe  it 
is  not  impossible  for  one  living  in  the  higher  grades 
of  Christian  experience,  which  is  the  "  higher  life," 
to  fall  into  sin.  His  sin  will  be  in  proportion  to 
his  want  of  that  gracious  habit  of  "  looking  unto 
Jesus."  It  surely  cannot  be  said  tjiat  David  was 
acting  "after  God's  own  heart"  in  his  sins,  or  that 
God  or  man  approved  them.  But  it  is  said  that 
this  man,  "after  God's  own  heart,"  did  fall  into 
condemnation.  But  "  there  is  no  condemnation 
to  those  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit,  for  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death." 

As  to  the  confession  of  sin  in  Daniel,  and  in 
Paul  when  he  called  himself  the  chief  of  sinners,  I 
know  of  no  Christian  experience  which  casts  out 
confession.  Vain  man,  to  throw  it  out,  when  the 
very  heavens  in  which  He  dwells  are  not  clean 
enough  for  God?  But  it  certainly  is  not  believed 
that  when  Paul  wrote  these  words  he  meant  to 
say  that  he  was  the  chief  of  actual  sinners,  that 
while  he  was  writing  those  words  he  was  chief  of 
the  sinning  ones  who  are  "  led  captive  by  Satan  at 
his  will."  Impossible.  If  so  he  surely  never  could 
have  written  those  words.  That  he  gratefully  ac- 
knowledged the  mercy  of  Jesus  in  saving  such  a 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I05 

sinner,  and  thus  desired  to  encourage  all  sinners 
to  come  to  Jesus,  I  believe.  But  I  must  further 
believe  that  Paul  counted  himself,  and  desired  to 
have  it  so  understood  in  that  passage,  "  The  chief 
of  sinners  saved."  Saved  from  what  ?  From  the 
awful  sins,  and  their  terrible  guilt  and  pollution. 

That  Jesus  can  and  does  keep  those  who  intently 
look  to  Him  from  sinning,  from  breaking  out  into 
actual,  known,  and  therefore  wilful,  acts  of  sinning, 
I  most  fully  believe.  If  not,  then  there  is  no 
power  by  which  we  may  "  cleanse  ourselves  from 
all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holi- 
ness in  the  fear  of  the  Lord."  If  Jesus  does  not 
do  it  for  us,  then  there  is  no  such  thing  as  keeping 
"unspotted  from  the  world,"  and  then  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  being  "blameless  and  harmless,  the 
sons  of  God,  without  rebuke." 

Then  how  shall  we  "reckon  ourselves  to  be 
dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord?  Surely  not  by  looking 
into  our  hearts ;  for  every  look  into  our  own  hearts 
warns  us  that  there  is  no  good  in  them,  —  that  by 
looking  within  we  have  no  power  to  cleanse.  No, 
but  by  "  looking  unto  Jesus."  Let  a  bold  faith  in 
the  power  of  Christ  who  commands  it  (as  he  com- 
manded the  man  with  a  withered  arm),  so  "  reckon 
yourself  dead  indeed  unto  sin,"  and  "alive  to  God," 
that  sin  shall  be  no  more.  It  was  not  a  reckon- 
ing from  appearances,    when   the  man's  arm  was 


Io6  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

made  whole,  else  it  had  remained  as  helpless  as 
ever ;  but  it  was  a  reckoning  of  a  bold  faith  in  the 
Redeemer's  almighty  power  to  save  it.  So  my 
soul  "reckons"  herself  "dead"  by  the  power  of 
Christ  and  my  "life  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  Oh, 
then,  my  soul,  by  "  looking  unto  Jesus,"  "  let  not 
sin,  therefore,  reign  in  my  mortal  body  that  I 
should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof." 

I  have  examined  the  articles  of  doctrine,  and 
though  I  do  not  wish  to  take  my  creed  from  any 
man,  I  yet  can  truly  say,  as  I  at  present  read  them, 
I  believe  them  in  accordance  with  the  Word  of  God. 
"  To  the  law,  and  to  the  testimony,"  my  soul  flies 
with  exceeding  great  delight.  "  His  words  are 
found  and  I  do  eat  them,  and  they  are  the  joy  and 
rejoicing  of  my  heart."  God  bless  you,  and  bring 
us  near  together,  by  bringing  us  nearer  and  nearer 
to  Christ. 

"  Now  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
falling,  and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding  joy,  to  the 
only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  glory  and  majesty, 
dominion  and  power,  both  now  and  ever.  Amen." 
Yours  in  the  precious  Jesus. 

LOOKING  UNTO  JESUS — THE  PRESENT  CURE  OF  SIN. 

"  Looking  unto  Jesus  "  is  the  whole  of  our  salva- 
tion. Why,  then,  for  comfort,  for  policy,  for  peace, 
for  satisfaction,  or  for  the  profit  of  our  souls,  should 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I07 

we  look  to  any  other?  Jesus  is  the  unfailing 
Sender  of  our  comfort  by  the  promised  Holy  Spirit ; 
Jesus  is  the  Captain  of  our  salvation  as  well  as  the 
Head  of  the  Church,  to  start,  carry  out,  guide  us 
in  the  true  plan  of  Church  order.  He  is  our 
peace,  having  made  peace  between  God  and  us, 
and  having  filled  us  —  or  promised  to  our  faith  the 
filling  —  with  a  peace  which  passeth  knowledge'. 
Jesus  is  the  only  satisfying  portion  of  the  soul, 
which  He  does  indeed  satisfy  as  with  marrow  and 
fatness  —  a  satisfaction  as  real  as  that  enjoyed  in 
heaven,  of  which  we  here  have  an  earnest  in  His 
presence.  It  is,  therefore,  to  our  exceeding  great 
joy  that  we  be  continually  "  looking  unto  Jesus." 

A  minister  once  wrote  a  sermon  upon  the  text, 
"  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the 
mighty,  and  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit  than  he  that 
taketh  a  city."  He  long  considered  it  his  best 
sermon,  preached  it  in  many  places,  and  he  thought 
the  best  part  of  the  sermon  was  under  the  question 
"  how  slowness  to  anger  and  the  ruling  of  the  spirit 
may  be  attained ; "  yet  all  the  time,  though  he  told 
the  people  how  to  attain  it,  he  had  been  unsuccess- 
ful himself.  And  well  he  might,  for  it  was  a  system 
of  works  after  all.  The  sermon  answered  the 
question  in  four  lessons.  Firsts  the  hearer  was  to 
obtain  a  knowledge  of  himself.  Second,  he  must 
examine   himself  to    the   above   end.     Third,   he 


Io8  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

must  practise  self-denial.  Fourth^  he  must  depend 
on  divine  grace. 

Thus  was  the  believer  to  subject  himself  to  a  long 
and  tedious  course  of  culture,  by  which,  in  some 
coming  time,  he  might  hope  to  have  the  mastery- 
over  his  spirit.  No  comfort  was  given  to  the  poor 
strugglers  in  case  of  death  before  they  accomplished 
the  victory.  They  must  die  in  defeat,  with  the  sor- 
rowful fact  before  them  that  they  could  not  be 
cured  of  slavery  to  their  passions  in  their  lifetime. 
The  same  minister  has  learned  a  better  way,  a  pres- 
ent cure  for  the  sin-sick,  or  sin-weakened  soul.  In 
place  of  all  the  four  lessons,  which  have  been  many 
times  applauded  as  well  put  together  and  calculated 
to  do  good,  he  has  made  one  lesson  alone  —  only 
one —  and  that  the  simplest  one  of  all  that  could  be 
found,  adapted  to  give  victory  to  the  child  in  Christ, 
as  well  as  to  dispel  the  sorrows  of  older  disciples 
whose  trials  to  rule  their  own  spirits  have  so  long 
and  so  signally  failed. 

What  is  that  one  lesson,  reader,  so  potent  when 
all  the  self-mortifications  and  legal  strivings  of  ac- 
cumulated years  have  only  increased  the  difficulty, 
or  created  another  disease  ?  Simply  and  alone 
"  Looking  unto  Jesus."  Beloved,  He  who  has  all 
power  in  heaven  and  earth  is  formed  in  us  the 
hope  of  glory.  He  is  the  power  by  whom  we  shall 
conquer,  without  whom  we  can  do  nothing.     It  is 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  I09 

even  Jesus,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  who  con- 
quers within  us. 

Why,  then,  wait  for  victory  over  sin  until  we  die. 
Have  it  in  Jesus  now.  Let  the  Holy  Spirit  cleanse 
His  own  temple,  and  dwell  in  it  with  power.  It 
shall  be  heaven  begun  below.  "  This  is  the  victory 
that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith." 

LOOKING   UNTO    JESUS     STILL.       JESUS    ALL    IN   ALL. 

"Looking  unto  Jesus,  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith."  —  Heb. 
xii.  2. 

There  is  a  race  to  be  run.  A  cloud  of  witnesses 
are  viewing.  The  racers  are  to  cast  weights  and 
besetting  sins  aside,  else  they  will  lose  the  race.  A 
goal  is  in  full  view.  A  crown  is  at  the  goal,  waiting 
to  be  put  upon  the  winner.  The  goal  is  Jesus  Christ. 
The  crown  is  glory  with  Him  for  ever.  If  we  would 
not  be  moved  into  any  digression,  we  must  look  unto 
Jesus,  as  the  racer  in  former  times  looked  straight 
forward  to  the  end  of  his  course,  where  was  the 
goal  and  the  crown,  and  the  rest,  and  the  glory. 
If,  therefore,  there  is  any  statement  of  this  race  to 
be  made  in  few  words,  which  will  express  at  the 
same  time  the  continuous  habit  of  the  racer,  the 
bent  of  his  mind,  the  desire  of  his  soul,  the  deter- 
mined purpose  to  which  he  is  devoted  with  unfal- 
tering perseverance,  and  his  energy,  it  is  in  these 
words  :  "  Looking  unto  Jesus." 

But  now  in  this  Christian  race,  where  the  run- 


no  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

fling  of  the  soul  and  the  looking  of  the  soul  are  ex- 
pressed ;  where  the  soul  is  so  weak  by  sin  that  it 
cannot  of  itself  lay  aside  weights  and  sins,  and  can- 
not of  itself  run  a  race,  we  must  see  a  peculiar 
meaning  to  the  term,  "  looking  unto  Jesus."  For 
nothing  has  been  more  plainly  revealed,  or  more 
fully  experienced  by  a  saintly  soul,  than  our  natur- 
ally prostrate,  helpless,  and  dead  condition.  We 
cannot  do  anything ;  we  cannot  even  look  to  the 
blessed  Lamb  of  ourselves.  There  must  be  some- 
thing more  than  the  mere  stimulus  of  future  reward 
to  enable  us  for  the  prosecution  of  this  race. 
Scripture  authority  for  this  position  is  not  needed, 
for  it  is  admitted  on  every  hand  that  without  Him 
we  can  do  nothing.  There  was  a  deep  meaning, 
therefore,  in  the  insertion  of  this  Christian  formula, 
in  his  exhortation  to  run  the  race.  The  apostle 
would  not  only  have  us  look  to  Him  as  the  One 
altogether  lovely,  or  the  one  at  the  end  of  the  race 
with  whom  we  are  to  rest  in  glory  at  last,  or  the 
chief  object  of  our  desire  alone.  All  these,  and 
more! 

Two  questions  here  demand  the  serious  attention 
of  all  who  would  perceive  the  meaning  of  this  great 
Christian  formula  : 

I.  Who  and  what  is  Jesus  to  the  Christian  racer  ? 

II.  What  is  meant  by  ^^  Looking  unto  Jesus''  in 
this  spiritual  sense  ? 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  til 

I.  Who  and  what  is  the  Lord  Jesus  to  the  Chris- 
tian racer  ? 

Let  it  be  carefully  observed  that  He  is,  in  con- 
nection with  this  race,  called  "  The  Author  and 
Finisher  of  our  faiths  This  may  mean  that  He  is 
the  Originator  of  our  doctrine  of  salvation,  and  of 
the  appliances  of  that  great  system  by  which  we  are 
brought  into  heaven.  But  it  must  necessarily  mean 
more,  since  in  that  case  we  should  be  left  without 
strength  to  use  the  things  which  had  been  freely  be- 
stowed. It  must  mean  that  He  bears  a  personal 
relation  to  each  racer  as  such  ;  that  he  who  has 
entered  this  Christian  race  has  entered  into  a  sys- 
tem of  operations  which  are  the  offspring  of  the  Re- 
deemer's mind.  Jesus  is  at  the  goal  to  encourage 
us  on,  and  feels  a  personal  interest  in  those  who 
have  started  in  the  holy  way. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  by  His  Spirit,  has  inclined  us  to 
enter  this  path.  He  made  the  way  by  His  own  sut- 
fering,  so  that  we  might  run  to  glory.  He  kindly 
invited  us  in  —  yea,  sweetly  forced  us  in  —  and  said 
to  us  as  we  entered,  "  I  am  the  way."  Over  the 
gate  we  entered,  and  along  every  step  of  the  way 
we  see  His  name.  The  name  of  the  way  itself,  as 
it  has  been  pronounced  by  the  thousands  who  have 
already  reached  the  glorious  end,  and  thousands 
more  now  on  the  road,  is,  "  Only  Jesus."  His 
ministers  cry  aloud,  and  spare  not  to  say  to  every 
discouraged  soul,  "  Only  Jesus ^'  and  to  warn  every 


112  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

legalist  who  hopes  to  enter  heaven  by  his  own 
merits,  that  the  only  way  there  is  Jesus  Christ. 
Each  racer,  therefore,  in  this  heavenly  course  is  to 
look  unto  Him  as  his  faithful  and  efficient  Saviour. 

Now,  we  all  know  that  Jesus  means  Saviour, 
He  saves  you.  If  you  had  been  rescued  from 
drowning  by  one  who  had  brought  your  almost  life- 
less form  to  land  and  to  life,  you  would  not  say  that 
he  merely  helped  you.  Jesus  has  done  more.  In 
this  salvation  He  has  done  all.  You  have  accepted 
Him  to  save  you,  yourself  helpless  and  undone. 
And  if  He  has  done  everything  thus  far.  He  must 
continue  to  do  everything  to  the  last.  He  has 
promised  to  raise  up  the  souls  that  trust  Him  at  the 
last  day,  in  the  completion  of  His  glorious  work  by 
which  we  are  and  shall  be  made  forever  to  drink 
the  river  of  His  pleasures. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  then,  is  everything  to  the  Chris- 
tian racer.  And  the  racer,  having  no  strength  of 
his  own,  being  nothing  of  himself,  does  not  only  look 
to  Jesus  for  one  things  but  for  everything.  For 
merit  to  enter,  for  provisions  on  the  route,  for  all 
things  within  him,  and  all  things  without  him  —  yes, 
for  all  things  within  him  and  all  things  without  him  ! 

I.  We  look  to  Jesus  as  our  Pattern.  We  shall 
be  like  Him  when  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is,  and 
now  are  "  with  Him,''  that  men  may  say,  as  they 
see  our  present  measure  of  likeness  to  Him,  that 
we  have  been  with  Jesus.     The  highest  ambition 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  113 

of  the  saint  is  to  be  like  Him,  to  possess  His  mind, 
and  show  the  marks  of  that  mind  by  all  consistent 
holy  living,  and  all  Christ-like  features. 

That  He  is  presented  to  us  as  an  example,  we 
have  many  passages  of  the  Word  of  God  to  show. 
He  left  us  an  "  example,  that  ye  should  follow  in 
His  steps."  (i  Pet.  ii.  21.)  ''A  new  commandment 
I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  another ;  as  I 
have  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another." 
(Jno.  xiii.  34.)  "  If  I,  then,  your  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, have  washed  your  feet,  ye  ought  also  to  wash 
one  another's  feet."  (Jno.  xiii.  14.)  "Take  my 
yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  mer  (Matt.  xi.  29.) 
Christians  love  to  look  at  Him  as  their  model. 
They  long  after  a  life  of  conformity  to  His  life  in 
all  holy  things.  It  is  their  unceasing  prayer  that 
they  may  be  correct  imitators  of  Jesus  Christ,  be- 
cause He  has  left  us  as  His  representatives  to  go 
and  tell  others  concerning  Him,  and  by  His  grace 
to  show  them  patterns  of  holy  life  in  the  name  of 
their  exalted  Head. 

"  Go  follow  your  Master,  then,"  says  the  careless 
world.  Ah !  if  this  were  all,  we  die.  For  it  is 
freely  admitted  that  no  one  can  copy  the  pattern  ; 
that  none  have  the  strength  to  put  forth  such  ac- 
tions, and  live  such  a  life  as  Jesus  lived.  We  freely 
confess  that  we  are  feebleness  itself  If  God  had 
left  us  here,  and  still  assured  us,  as  He  has,  that 
only  the  holy  can  see  His  face,  we  should  have  sunk 
8 


114  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

down  to  black  despair.  But  while  it  is  true  that 
none  can  copy  the  perfect  pattern  of  Jesus  by  any 
efforts  which  mortal  man  can  possibly  put  forth, 
is  also  true  that  He  himself^  indwelling  with  His 
saints^  can  reproduce  His  own  life  in  them,  and  make 
them  meet  far  His  service,  and  fneetto  be  partakers 
of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  And  here 
is  the  only,  but  it  is  the  grand,  encouragement  of  our 
Christia?i  life.  It  is  the  only  way  by  which  we  can 
work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  for 
He  workefh  i?z  us  to  will  and  to  do.  If  He  did  not 
thus,  we  could  not  live  holy  lives  at  all.  Hence 
we  observe,  as  a  necessary  complement  of  the 
thought  that  Jesus  is  our  pattern,  that  — 

2.  We  look  to  Jesus  also  as  our  Power  —  our 
power,  or  the  power  which  our  faith  appropriates 
for  the  reproduction  of  His  own  life ;  so  that  in 
life  and  in  conversation  we  may  be  His  witnesses 
— "trees  of  righteousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord, 
that  He  may  be  glorified."  By  our  faith  appropri- 
ating the  power,  we  mean  simply  that  we  believe 
Jesus  does  in  our  souls  as  He  said  He  would.  And 
when  we  so  believe,  Jesus  does  the  work  by  send- 
ing His  Spirit  to  show  us  Himself,  and  to  work 
within  us  all  Christ-like  dispositions.  It  is  then 
that  we  keep  His  commandments,  and  dwell  in  Him 
and  He  in  us  ;  and  "  we  know  that  He  abideth  in 
us,  by  the  Spirit  [or  disposition  of  mind]  which  He 
hath  given  us." 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  II5 

The  term  "Author  and  Finisher,"  taken  in  its 
connection  with  our  salvation,  and  with  our  faith, 
it  must  be  seen,  has  deep  meaning  ;  and  that  not 
only  in  regard  to  the  decree  of  God  that  we  should 
be  holy,  but  in  relation  to  our  own  consciousness 
of  a  glorious  fact  in  our  present  experience.  He 
is  the  Finisher  of  our  faith  in  power.  So  it  is  not 
a  dead  faith,  it  is  not  an  unfruitful  faith ;  it  is  an 
internally  productive  faith  by  its  constant  appre- 
hension of  an  indwelling  Christ,  its  energizing  Au- 
thor and  Finisher.  And  thus,  beloved,  we  carry 
about  with  us  (to  speak  with  deepest  reverence)  a 
Divine  Workman.  ^^  And  we  are  His  workman- 
ships 

All  this  —  that  we  have  believed,  that  we  do  be- 
lieve, that  we  hate  sin,  that  we  are  saints  appearing 
in  the  garments  of  His  righteousness  (which  means 
that  we  bear  a  character  for  righteousness  which 
the  world  acknowledges),  all  this  —  that  we  are  full 
of  "  perfect  peace,"  of  "  perfect  love  which  casteth 
out  fear,"  of  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory," 
of  the  rest  of  faith,  that  we  glory  in  tribulations, 
that  we  are  become  as  simple  as  children,  with  all 
the  sharp  corners  of  a  patronizing,  worldly,  unholy, 
ambitious  spirit  taken  off;  in  holy  unity  with  all 
who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  in  sincerity,  high  or  low, 
rich  or  poor,  black  or  white ;  sitting  lamb-like,  to 
hear  each  what  the  other  has  to  say ;  telling  about 
Jesus,  comforted,  the  poorest  of  us  feeling  rich  in 


Il6  THE   REST   OF    FAITH. 

Him  ;  oh,  how  rich  !  —  all  this  is  the  direct  result 
of  His  workmanship. 

When,  with  deep  simpHcity,  by  a  thorough  con- 
secration to  Him,  you  rest  on  Him  to  do  His  work 
within  you,  you  shall  find  that  He  works  like  a  God. 

I.  He  teaches  an  infallible  knowledge,  showing 
us  things  deep  and  high,  altogether  out  of  the  sight- 
range  of  careless,  worldly,  unbelieving,  fossilized 
souls,  who  act  as  though  He  stood  responsible  for 
them  in  their  carelessness.  It  is  the  creed  of  some 
that  the  imputation  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
makes  them  judicially  fit  for  heaven  though  they 
remain  practically  very  far  from  God.  But  God's 
salvation  is  nothing  so  incomplete,  and  hence  we 
are  living  in  an  age  which  bears  for  its  name  the 
thought  of  our  millennial  completeness  in  Christ. 
It  is  the  age  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  work.  It  is 
the  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  now 
the  time  of  fulfilment  of  that  wonderful  word  of 
Jesus  :  "I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  He  shall  give 
you  another  Comforter,  that  He  may  abide  with 
you  forever :  even  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  whom  the 
world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  Him  not, 
neither  knoweth  Him  ;  but  ye  know  Him,  for  He 
dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you."  This  is 
that  which  Jesus  said  when,  in  that  great  day  of  the 
feast,  "Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying  \and  won- 
drous words  are  these  !\  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
come  unto  me  and  drink.     He  that  believeth  in 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  II7 

me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall 
flow  rivers  of  living  water.  But  this  spake  He  of 
the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should 
receive  ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given,  be- 
cause that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  (Jno.  xiv.  i6, 
etc.,  and  vii.  37-39.) 

What  is  there  in  all  the  range  of  human  thought 
like  this  knowledge  ?  The  Word  of  God  was  not 
designed  for  statements  of  science ;  they  pale  be- 
fore its  own  infinitely  mysterious  subjects,  which  are 
hidden  from  a  man  so  far  as  he  is  carnally  minded. 
The  princes  of  this  world  know  not  such  knowledge 
as  Jesus  reveals  to  the  simple  souls  that  lean  not  to 
their  own  understanding. 

But  Jesus  as  a  power  within  us  is  not  only  a 
teacher  of  great  things. 

2.  He  is  a  priest  and  a  king  within  us,  as 
well  as  outside  of  us.  The  casting  out  of  the 
traders  from  the  temple  was  a  symbolic  action.  He 
was  and  is  Lord  of  His  house.  But  f/iat  house  is 
long  since  decayed.  Where  is  now  His  house  ?  In 
the  souls  of  His  people  !  "Ye  are  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  "  Which  is  in  you."  "  Which  ye  have 
of  God."  '*  And  ye  are  not  your  own."  "  For  ye 
are  bought  with  a  price,  therefore  glorify  God  in 
your  body  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's." 

How  glorify  God  in  our  body  and  our  spirit  ?  By 
letting  Jesus  be  exalted  in  our  hearts  a  prince  and 
a  Saviour,  to  do  His  priestly  and  His  kingly  work 


IlS  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

with  US  in  bringing  e\'ery  thought  in  captivity  to  His 
own  obedience  :  that  He  '*  may  ii;\nctity  you  wholly  " 
and  preserve  your  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  ;md  body 
blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  that  He  may  **  make  you  i>erfect  in  ever>' 
good  work  to  do  His  will,  working  in  you  that  which 
is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight."  so  that  we  may  ••  serve 
Him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness 
before  Him,  all  the  da)*s  of  our  lite." 

All  this  is  Jesus  to  do  within  us  that  our  light 
may  shine.  All  this  is  J<rsus  to  us,  as  '*  th^  Autkcr 
an  J  Finish<rr  of  our  faith  "  And  He  is  :dl  this  to 
us  — 

B\-  His  Blood  and  Spirit.  These  go  together. 
The  blood  of  Christ  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  ;ire  in- 
separable in  the  economy  of  redemption.  He  that 
hath  the  blood  hath  the  Spirit,  and  he  that  has  the 
Spirit  has  the  bkxxl.  and  he  that  has  not  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  not  the  blood  of  Christ  at  all.  An  J  th^se 
are  the  tzvo  compleme-ntcil  parts  of  our  sahation. 
It  was  expetlient  that  Jesus  should  go  away  that  the 
Spirit  might  come.  It  \ras  expedient  and  necess;iry 
that  He  should  go  and  die  for  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  —  the  thenceforth  purchased  Holy 
Ghost !  —  that  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant  the  Spirit  might  do  His  otlice  work  in 
making  us  perfect.  And  so  we  have  the  comple- 
mental  parts  of  our  Svilvation,  in  the  specific  work 
of  both  the  blood  and  the  Spirit. 


THE    REST  OF    FAITH.  II9 

By  the  one  we  have  imputation,  and  by  the  other 
active  irnpartation  of  Himself,  The  blood  without 
the  Spirit  would  only  cleanse  the  record,  and  so  the 
Spirit  complements  the  work  by  carrying  out  the 
design  of  Christ  to  work  within  us  all  righteousness. 
Understand  me.  Imputation  is  a  reckoning.  God 
reckons  our  past  sins  as  cancelled  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus;  and  God  the  Father  with  God  the  Son  sends 
the  Divine  Spirit,  Ood  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  live  within 
us,  that  we  by  faith  may  be  enabled  to  mind  the 
precious  precept,  "  Be  ye  holy,  for  1  arn  holy." 
It  is  therefore  understood  by  us,  as  His  called  and 
chosen  saints,  that  He,  the  precious  Jesus,  **the 
Sender  and  the  sent,"  is  the  efficient  Cause,  Oper- 
ator in.  Educator,  and  final  Preserver  of  our  souls. 

Therefore  we  consider  the  formula  "looking  unto 
Jesus,"  both  as  used  here  and  elsewhere,  to  express 
—  first,  all  power  to  run  the  race  ;  second,  the  habit 
of  the  racer.  Let  us  look  at  t/ie  habit  of  the  Chris- 
tian racer  in  the  second  general  question  which  we 
proposed  in  the  outset. 

n.  What  is  meant  by  ^'- looking''  ("unto  Jesus") 
in  this  spiritual  sense  ?  We  take  a  few  of  the  plain 
invitations  which  direct  the  sinner  and  the  sinner 
saved  to  the  reception  of  heavenly  gifts. 

I.  Isaiah  xlv.  22  :  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  :  for  I  arn  God,  and 
there  is  none  else."  The  Lord  would  have  the  at- 
tention of  all  people  diverted  from  idols  to  Himself 


12d  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

as  the  only  source  of  salvation,  yea,  as  the  only 
Saviour.  He  wants  men  to  understand  that  they  are 
helpless,  and  that  all  their  trusts  are  misplaced,  which 
are  not  placed  in  Himself  alone,  and  that  all  the 
imaginations  of  men  about  their  salvation,  outside 
the  fact  that  it  is  His  own  work,  are  vain  and  worse. 
O  ye  sinners !  know  that  salvation  is  the  Lord's 
work,  and  not  yours.  Look,  therefore,  unto  Him, 
and  let  Him  save  you.  Trust  Him  to  save  you, 
without  trying  to  have  idols  or  services  to  save  you. 

2.  John  i.  29  :  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Here  is  the 
direct  presentation  of  the  cleansing  blood.  All  other 
offerings  are  vain.  Should  you  offer  the  fruit  of 
your  body  for  the  sin  of  your  soul,  or  pour  your 
own  life's  blood  out  because  you  feel  yourself  un- 
done, it  would  be  of  no  avail.  Away  with  all 
thought  of  your  own  merit  before  God.  Behold 
God's  Lamb  !  That  is  the  merit  which  He  will 
accept,  and  that  alone.  See  His  willingness  to  be 
presented  as  your  substituted  merit.  Go,  therefore, 
to  God,  and  present  to  Him  for  your  acceptance  at 
His  throne  the  name  of  the  Lamb  of  God.  Oh, 
how  quickly  shall  God  speak  your  peace  and  your 
everlasting  life ! 

3.  Isaiah  xv.  10  :  "Who  is  among  you  that  fear- 
eth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  His  servant, 
that  walketh  in  darkness  and  hath  no  light  ?  Let 
him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  121 

his  God."  The  Lord  does  not  want  His  people  to 
be  in  darkness.  He  would  have  them  enjoy  His 
light.  Let  them  trust  Him.  Let  them  take  Him  at 
His  word,  and  enter  by  Jesus  the  door  i7ito  Himself^ 
their  house  of  habitation.  Jesus  is  the  door  into  our 
Father's  house,  which  is  all  light,  all  love,  all  spirit- 
ual luxury,  all  holy  company.  "  God  is  my  habita- 
tion, whereunto  I  continually  resort."  What  dark- 
ness can  blind  me  in  my  holy  house,  in  God  my 
Fortress,  my  High  Tower,  my  Deliverer?  Wliat 
devil  can  take  me,  when  I  am  in  my  Father's 
palace,  where  devils  can  never  reach  ? 

Now  looking  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ  is  be- 
lieving all  His  word  says  of  Him,  and  trusting  Him 
as  such.  Looking  is  "coming."  It  is  "drawing 
near."  "  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart  in  full 
assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from 
an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure 
water."  (Heb.  x.  22).  Looking  is  taking  Christ 
for  what  He  is  offered  for  in  His  word. 

Again.  Since  we  take  God  at  His  word,  and 
believe  that  is  do7ie  which  He  says  is  done  when  we 
believe,  we  must  be  convinced,  that  "  looking  unto 
Jesus"  is  the  same  as  washing  in  the  Gospel  foun- 
tain, and  being  cleansed  thereby.  Zech.  xiii.  i  : 
"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  to 
the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness."  The  foun- 
tain is  opened.     Jesus'  blood  shed  for  sinners  is  the 


122  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

fountain.  Come,  and  by  faith  plunge  into  the  purple 
flood,  and  rise  in  all  the  life  of  God.  One  look  to 
Jesus  is  the  washing  of  your  sins  away.  For  one 
look  to  Jesus  brings  Him  at  once  into  your  heart. 
He  is  there  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  your  faith. 
He  will  own  you,  and  the  cloud  of  witnesses  will 
see  you  as  His  bright  representative,  however  the 
world  and  a  careless  Church  may  despise  you.  O 
beloved  !  this  simple  believing,  looking  to  Jesus,  by 
the  contrite  heart,  is  everything  we  have  to  do.  The 
word  is  not  look,  and  then  try  to  make  something 
out  of  yourself;  but  it  is  look,  and  let  Jesus  do  every- 
thing with  you  and  for  you.  Look  and  live.  Look 
and  be  all,  look  and  have  all,  look  and  Jesus  is  your 
all  and  in  all. 

Beloved,  looking  to  Jesus  is  the  running  of  the 
race.  We  run  the  faster  and  the  surer  as  we  the 
more  intently  look  unto  Jesus.  We  cease  to  run 
the  race  if  we  cease  to  look. 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  1 23 


CHAPTER  III. 

STONES  IN  THE  WAY  TO  BE  GATHERED  OUT. 

"  Go  through,  go  through  the  gates ;  prepare  ye 
the  way  of  the  people ;  cast  up,  cast  up  the  high- 
way ;  GATHER  OUT  THE  STONES  ;  Hft  Up  a  Standard 
for  the  people.  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  proclaimed 
unto  the  end  of  the  world,  Say  ye  to  the  daughter 
of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  salvation  cometh ;  behold.  His 
reward  is  with  Him,  and  His  work  before  Him. 
And  they  shall  call  them,  the  holy  people,  the 
redeemed  of  the  Lord :  and  thou  shalt  be  called, 
sought  out,  a  city  not  forsaken."    Isaiah  Ixii.  10-12. 

And  now  let  us  take  up  some  of  these  stones  in 
the  way  of  believers,  and  in  the  way  of  objectors, 
and  by  the  Word  of  God  fling  them  out  of  sight. 
They  have  hindered  many  a  traveller,  and  kept  the 
bread  and  water  of  life  from  many  a  hungering  and 
thirsting  soul. 

I.  There  are  some  hymns  that  have  taken  hold  of 
the  hearts  of  God's  people,  as  though  by  inspira- 
tion, which  cultivate  unbelief  alarmingly,  and  are 
quoted  in  place  of  Scripture  to  disprove  the  doc- 
trine of  a  higher  Christian  life.     They  are  hurtful, 


124  THE    REST  OF   FAITH. 

and  should  be  left  unsung  and  unused ;  for  if 
some  of  them  do  apply  to  a  portion  of  the  Lord's 
people,  the  whole  Church  should  not  be  asked  to 
help  that  small  portion  sing  itself  into  the  condition 
of  sorrow  and  fear ;  or,  if  the  majority  of  the 
Church  sing  them,  they  certainly  will  bear  to  be  re- 
minded of  the  fearful  tendency  of  their  songs. 
Dearly  beloved  of  the  Lord,  if  these  do  utter  what 
ought  not  to  be  the  condition  of  the  Lord's  chosen, 
help  us,  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  to  cast  out  this  great 
stone  from  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  the  people,  and 
from  the  way  of  the  people  to  the  Lord.  This,  you 
know,  is  our  part  of  the  work,  not  the  Lord's.  He 
waits  that  His  people  may  remove  this  obstruction 
to  their  faith.  Let  us  look  at  only  a  few  of  these 
hurtful  hymns,  in  the  hope  that  the  Lord's  dear 
people  maybe  moved  to  "  gather  out  the  stones"  in 
their  way. 

HYMNS    THAT    HURT. 

In  all  ages,  the  hymns  sung  in  the  Church  have 
had  much  to  do  with  moulding  the  thought  of  the 
people.  In  times  of  war,  or  when  great  issues  are 
to  be  presented,  much  is  calculated  upon  the  songs 
of  the  people,  and  songs  are  gotten  up  to  educate 
the  mind,  and  turn  the  views  of  men  in  the  proper 
direction.  Without  a  doubt,  hymns  make  doctrines 
and  produce  thought.  How  needful,  therefore,  to 
have  the  hymns  right,  that  the  sentiment  sung  may 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  125 

have  proper  embodiment  in  "  forms  of  sound  words." 
But  many  hymns  teach  nothing ;  others  teach  error ; 
while  some,  under  cover  of  the  pathetic  and  sym- 
pathetic, protect  the  worst  form  of  error,  which  is 
unbelief  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

As  our  hymn-books  are  given  out  by  authority, 
and  therefore  supposed  to  be  carefully  guarded  from 
all  error,  this  defect  is  the  more  serious,  because 
many  private  members  incline  to  receive  them  at 
the  hands  of  their  spiritual  leaders,  with  almost  ab- 
solute confidence  '  And  why  should  they  not  ?  say 
they,  for  the  sentiments  expressed  have  a  true  type 
in  the  common  experiences  of  Christians.  But  if 
the  common  experiences  of  Christians  are  wrong  by 
reason  of  positive  unbelief  or  early  training,  then 
the  hymns  which  cultivate  their  error  should,  by 
all  means,  be  either  expunged  or  they  should  be 
changed  to  express  the  "  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 
For  God  wants  the  instruments  of  His  temple  wor- 
ship to  be  of  pure  gold.  Many  of  these  hymns 
express  what  no  Christian  ought  to  feel  —  coldness, 
deadness,  and  almost  hypocrisy  —  under  the  view 
that  it  is  a  needful  confession  of  sin.  The  hymn 
commencing, 

"Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  dove," 

has  just  two  stanzas  fit  to  be  sung,  the  first  and  the 
last.  The  other  three  in  the  book  before  us,  com- 
mencing respectively, 


126  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 


1 


'  Look  how  we  grovel  here  below  ; " 
'  In  vain  we  tune  our  formal  songs  ;  " 
'  Dear  Lord,  and  shall  we  ever  live," 


should  never  be  put  into  the  mouths  of  God's  peo- 
ple by  any  Christian  minister.  If  private  Christians 
are  compelled  to  complain  of  their  condition,  their 
sinful  wanderings,  their  short-lived  graces,  and  their 
dying  rates,  let  them  do  it  alone  to  God  ;  or  let 
them  discriminate,  and  get  together  all  the  sick 
and  halt,  as  such,  and  then  reform.  "Dear  Lord, 
and  shall  we  ever  live,"  seems  to  present  the  case 
to  God  as  though  He  were  the  cause  of  this.  And 
can  it  be  that  the  Church  has  reason  to  complain 
of  God  that  He  is  not  faithful  to  his  covenant 
promises?  No,  never.  But  an  unfaithful  people 
must  lay  aside  their  works  of  darkness.  Do  not 
ask  a  soul  burning  up  with  the  love  of  Jesus,  of 
whom  we  believe  there  are  many,  to  join  the  throng 
whose  unbelief  compels  them  to  say, 

"Hosannahs  languish  on  our  tongues. 
And  our  devotion  dies," 

and,  that  we  live  at  this  poor  dying  rate ;  for  we  do 
not  believe  it.  We  should  dishonor  the  grace  of 
Christ,  we  should  plunge  ourselves  into  unbelief 
with  the  rest.  We  are  receiving  tlie  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  we  do  love  Him  with  all 
our  heart,  and  mind,  and  soul,  and  strength.  That 
is  not  a  languishing  and  dying  rate.  It  is  salvation. 
We  adore  the  grace  of  Christ  who  has  made  us  rich 


T'^)\   a    i^Jj  i 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  127 

through  His  poverty.  We  feel  rich,  and  "  dead  in- 
deed unto  sin,  and  aUve  unto  God."  We  therefore 
cannot  sing  the  stanzas  which  have  obtained  such 
use  in  the  Church  of  Christ.  Let  the  dear  children 
of  God  discriminate  in  their  songs,  and  cast  away 
those  stanzas  which  cultivate  and  nourish  the  prin- 
ciple of  unbelief  For  it  is,  it  must  be,  unbelief 
which  ignores  the  work  of  Christ  in  cleansing  us 
from  sin.     As  for  instance, 

"  By  Him  my  prayers  acceptance  gain, 
Although  with  sin  defiled." 

Impossible.  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart  the 
Lord  will  not  hear  me."  If  I  am  defiled  with  sin, 
how  can  I  approach  God  ?  It  is  very  true  that 
Jesus  is  our  acceptance  with  God,  but  He  is  such 
by  cleansing  blood.  Our  petitions  need  His  blood 
to  be  presented  with  them  at  the  throne,  because 
they  are  the  petitions  of  such  imperfect  creatures ; 
but  sin,  the  transgression  of  the  law,  must  not  ap- 
pear in  them.  There  must  be  a  mind  at  peace 
with  God,  and  averse  to  sin.  The  prayer  of  the 
sinner,  i.e.,  prayer  with  sin  defiled,  cannot  be  heard. 
He  must  go  to  the  fountain,  and  his  sin  shall  be 
covered  over.  A  prayer  marked  by  imperfection 
may  be  accepted,  if  presented  in  Jesus'  blood,  but 
if  defiled  with  sin,  it  can  have  no  place  before  the 
throne. 

One  stops  to  ask  us,  if  imperfection  is  not  sin. 
We  answer  that  there  must  be  a  very  broad  line  be- 


128  THE    REST  OF    FAITH. 

tween  imperfection  and  sin.     "Sin  is  the  transgres- 
sion of  the  law,"  and  can  be  helped,  can  be  shunned, 
can  be  triumphed  over  by  the  Blood  and  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    We  can  do  all  this  through 
'  Christ  strengthening  us.     But  our  imperfections  are 
7iot  active  sin.    While  they  need  the  blood  of  Christ 
because  of  their  incompleteness,  they  yet  have  not 
necessarily  any  of  the  filthiness  of  sin  about  them. 
We  should,  therefore,  make  a  broad  distinction  be- 
tween them,  as  God  has,  in  the  definition  of  sin. 
'  We  are  and  shall  be  incomplete  in  this  world,  our 
/     powers  being  weakened  by  the  fall ;  but  that  the 
\    infirmities  of  our  constitution  are  actual  sin,  we  can- 
not believe.     Jesus  covers  our  incompleteness  with 
His  perfect  work,  and  thus  enables  us  to  approach 
God  with  boldness. 

Another  hymn,  which  needs  expurgation  because 
it  puts  unworthy  words  into  the  mouth  of  the  whole 
Church,  and  either  compels  all  God's  children  to 
use  theni,  or  some,  who  cannot  apply  the  sentiments 
themselves,  to  be  silent,  is  that  hymn  of  Cowper,  so 
much  sung, 

"  Oh,  for  a  closer  walk  with  God." 

The  stanzas  commencing  respectively, 

"  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew," 
"  What  peaceful  hours  I  then  enjoyed," 

should  never  be  given  out  to  a  whole  congregation. 
There  are  some  who  cannot  conscientiously  sing 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 29 

them.  Nor  will  it  do  to  throw  off  the  subject  by 
saying  that  those  who  cannot  sing  them  had  better 
look  within  their  hearts  and  examine  their  mistaken 
condition.  Tfiat  is  easily  said.  They  have  looked 
within  their  hearts,  and  they  have,  adoring,  seen  the 
Lamb  of  God  enthroned  there.  Their  peace  in 
Jesus  is  like  a  river.  They  have  joy,  and  knowl- 
edge, and  purposes  in  the  service  of  Jesus,  to  which 
their  "first"  experience  is  only  as  the  light  of  a  ta- 
per compared  with  the  clear  shining  of  the  sun. 
Why,  therefore,  should  they  sing  these  stanzas  ?  Is 
not  their  experience  Scriptural,  the  path  of  the  just, 
as  the  shining  light,  shining  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day  ?  Is  the  condition  of  those  who 
honestly  can  sing  those  verses  a  Scriptural  condi- 
tion ?  Is  it  honoring  to  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ?  Is  it  right  for  any  single  Christian 
to  sing  that  more  than  once  ?  Much  less  for  the 
whole  Church  to  bring  young  Christians  up  to 
expect  such  things  in  their  experience,  and  thus 
strengthen  unbelief  on  the  breasts  of  the  Church? 

It  is  true  that  we  help  the  unconverted  and  the 
convicted  sinner  to  sing  hymns  that  lead  them  to 
Christ ;  must  we  therefore  help  believers  sing  hymns 
that  lead  them  into  legality  and  away  from  Christ? 

We  mention  another  hymn,  the  one  commencing, 

"  Come,  thou  Fount  of  every  blessing." 

Two  lines  in  that  hymn,  though  they  have,  by  rea- 
9 


130  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

son  of  cultivated  unbelief,  had  a  foundation  in  fact, 
have  not  any  foundation  in  right,  nor  are  they  true 
in  the  heart  of  a  sturdy  saint.  We  think,  indeed, 
referring  to  the  normal  condition  of  the  child  of 
God,  that  they  are  entirely  unscriptural. 

"  Prone  to  wander,  Lord,  I  feel  it, 
"  Prone  to  leave  the  God  I  love." 

The  sentiment  is  foreign  to  the  declaration  of 
Holy  Writ  that  we  are  "  new  creatures  in  Christ 
Jesus."  "Old  things  have  passed  away,  all  things 
have  become  new."  We  were  such  once,  prone  to 
leave  God,  and  to  wander  from  Him,  but  we  are 
washed,  we  are  sanctified,  we  are  justified  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our 
God."  Our  proneness  by  the  new  nature  is  cer 
tainly  to  love  God,  or  else  it  is  a  very  queer  regen- 
eration into  a  new  state  of  things,  It  may  be  said 
that  these  lines  agree  with  the  state  of  things  among 
God's  people.  That  is  not  what  we  want.  We  do 
not  want  to  copy  after  earthly  things,  but  after  heav- 
enly. It  has  been  the  former  difficulty  of  the 
Church,  that  she  has  copied  after  things  below  ; 
and  has  interpreted  creed,  and  Bible  too,  after  a  low 
grade  of  experience. 

What  is  now  needed  is  to  fix  the  eye  on  Christ, 
find  out  the  glories  of  His  work,  "  which  eye  had  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,"  and  then  go  on  in  the  shining 
way,  expunging  everything  repugnant  to  progress 
therein.     We  are  fighting  a  ready  enemy.     We  do 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I3I 

not  want  any  remnants  of  unbelief  about  us.  We 
might  as  well  send  soldiers  into  battle  with  old  ar- 
tillery wagons,  against  a  foe  on  well-trained  chargers, 
or  permit  the  soldiers  on  the  march  to  battle  to  sing 
some  stanzas  on  the  fear  of  death,  as  to  oppose 
Satan's  hosts  with  these  whinings  of  unbelief.  It 
has  already  helped  him  to  shut  up  our  "dying 
rates  "  by  scores  and  hundreds. 

These  are  the  words  of  deepest  affection,  and 
tenderness  of  spirit  in  the  writer,  for  the  Church  of 
our  Lord  Jesus. 

The  hymn  commencing 

"  Thus  far  my  God  has  led  me  on," 

has  many  objectionable  features,  from  the  fact  that 
it  seems  to  take  for  granted  that  a  true  Christian 
experience  necessarily  must  sing,  and  hence,  that 
every  Christian  in  any  given  congregation  must  be 
in  a  state  to  sing  such  lines  as  these,  which  we  cull 
from  all  the  verses  : 

"My  hopes  and  fears  alternate  rise." 

"Oft  an  absent  God  I  mourn." 

"'Tis  thus  our  pride  and  self  must  fall." 

The  whole  hymn  is  mournful,  and  a  sort  of  com- 
plaint of  present  straits  into  which  the  soul  has 
been  cast  by  "  the  faithful  love  "  of  our  God.      e.g.  : 

"  Temptations  everywhere  annoy,  j 

And  sins  and  snares  my  peace  destroy  ;  "  / 

and  this  is  the  thorny  road  in  which  God  leads  His 


132  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

dear  people  to  try  their  graces.  In  other  words, 
God  makes  the  graces  of  His  people  (for  they  are 
the  fruits  of  His  Holy  Spirit),  and  then  He  proves 
them  by  intermissions,  and  this  is  inevitable  in  the 
case  of  every  Christian  !  Impossible.  The  senti- 
ment does .  not  agree  with  the  Word  of  God. 
"  Great  peace  have  they  which  love  Thy  law ;  and 
nothing  shall  offend  them"  —  margin  —  "  They 
shall  have  no  stumbling-block."  Does  not  God 
answer  His  people's  cry,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temp- 
tation "  ?  Is  there  no  place  on  earth ;  is  there  no 
man  on  earth  who  has  had  a  supreme  confidence  in 
Christ,  and  is  "kept  by  His  power  through  faith 
unto  salvation "  ?  Does  not  God  vouchsafe  for 
any  of  His  children  to  "  deliver  them  from  evil,"  or 
is  His  deliverance  so  short-lived  that  they  are  often 
deserted  by  Him  ?  Not  so.  There  is  a  fearful 
incongruity  in  this  hymn.  Interruption  of  peace 
comes  from  disobedience  and  unbelief.  God  does 
not  bring  these  about,  but  has  made  the  way  clear, 
so  that  every  thought  shall  be  "  brought  into  cap- 
tivity to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  "  O  that  thou 
hadst  hearkened  to  my  commandments !  then  had 
thy  peace  been  as  a  river,  and  thy  righteousness  as 
the  waves  of  the  sea." 

As  to  the  trial  of  our  graces,  God  does  not  try  to 
make  us  temporarily  fall,  but  to  strengthen.  When 
He  tries  He  sustains.  We  come  out  better  and 
brighter,  not  from  a  process  of  sinning,  but  from  a 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 33 

trial  where  we  were  led  to  trust  Him.  In  no  case 
does  God  deliver  His  child  over  to  Satan.  The 
believer  leaves  God,  goes  into  folly,  worldliness  and 
sin,  and  what  can  he  expect  but  desertion  ?  He  is 
never  compelled  to  sin,  nor  would  his  own  weak- 
ness be  dominant  if  he  would  keep  hold  on  God  ; 
nor  has  God  ordained  that  any  should  be  unable  to 
get  the  full  measure  of  His  help  in  leaving  their  sins. 
Just  the  opposite.  It  may  be  objected  that  facts 
are  that  God's  people  do  universally  fall  into  a  con- 
dition of  unbelief.  There  are  blessed  exceptions  ; 
these  must  increase  as  Christians  find  how  much 
they  have  in  Christ.  If  the  objection  had  been 
granted,  it  would  not  prove  that  Christ  had  not  pro- 
mised to  keep  His  people  in  "  perfect  peace  "  — 
but  simply  that  men  following  their  own  ways  had 
not  availed  themselves  of  His  grace.  It  cannot 
be  denied  that  God  has  brought  His  people  into  a 
most  gracious  possibility  of  constant  faith,  and 
dwelling  with  Himself,  and  of  His  own  constant  in- 
dwelling in  them  by  their  simple  faith  in  Jesus. 
That  line,  therefore,  is  not  true  which  urges : 

'"Tis  thus  our  pride  and  self  must  fall." 

God  has  another  way  of  delivering  His  children  from 
pride  and  self,  if  they  will  be  delivered  in  His  way. 
Their  difficulty  is,  that  they  seek  in  their  own  way, 
and  they  keep  their  own  will.  Then,  of  course,  they 
must  sufifer.     But,  for  a  moment,  what  is  His  way 


134  THE    REST  OF   FAITH. 

of  subduing  all  evil  in  us  ?  Simply  Christ.  Christ 
will  vanquish  all  the  powers  of  hell  in  the  soul,  and 
He  will  do  it  at  once,  and  by  His  own  miraculous 
power.  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in 
the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  I  am 
crucified  to  the  world  and  the  world  is  crucified  unto 
me."  There  is  the  cure.  Give  up  your  will  to 
Jesus  Christ.  "  Go  whithersoever  He  goeth,"  or 
bids  you  to  go,  and  we  say  not  we  will  warrant  you ; 
He  has  warranted  you  that  you  should  be  kept  "  in 
perfect  peace."  This  world  will  be  very  little  to 
you,  and  only  as  a  present  laboring  place,  not  at  all 
for  amusements,  or  physical  or  material  rest.  In 
Christ  you  shall  be  "  crucified  to  the  world."  Now 
then,  it  is  a  truth  that 

"Thus  far  my  God  hath  led  me  on," 

and  that  God  has  been  very  gracious  to  His  people. 
But  let  them  not  turn  again  to  the  folly  of  unbelief, 
and  selfish  pride,  and  taking  up  the  world  again 
after  they  had  cast  it  behind  their  backs.  There  is 
abundant  grace  in  Christ  to  "  keep  us  every  day 
from  falling,  and  to  present  us  faultless  before  the 
throne  of  God  with  exceeding  joy."  Let  us  drop 
the  hymns,  by  whomsoever  composed^  which  teach 
the  opposing  sentiment,  and  which  plunge  the 
Church  into  weakness  and  sin. 

II.  Some  have  questioned  as  to  God's  time  of 
destroying  the  works  of  the  devil.     They  will  have 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I35 

//  that  it  is  not  His  desigfi  to  destroy  them  during 
this  life. 

Such  objections,  however,  must  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  natural  and  necessary  connection  of 
the  words  in  the  context.  Verse  8th  of  the  3d 
chapter  of  i  John  tells  us  :  "  For  this  purpose  the 
Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  He  might  destroy 
the  works  of  the  deviL"  Verse  5th  says  :  *'  He 
was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins ; "  and  verse 
6th  takes  the  consequence  from  this,  that  "who- 
soever abideth  in  Him  sinneth  not."  Verse  8th 
commences  with  the  declaration  that  *'  He  that 
committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,"  and  closes  by  the 
utterance  already  presented,  that  Jesus  was  mani- 
fested "to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  This, 
then,  makes  positive  the  proof  that  the  words  do 
necessarily  refer  to  the  present  life-work  of  Christ 
in  the  souls  of  believers. 

There  is  no  question  concerning  iht  future  down- 
fall of  Satan.  The  point  which  we  now  make  is,  \ 
that  Satan  falls  to-day,  every  day,  and  his  works  ' 
are  destroyed  upon  the  exercise  of  simple  faith  by 
the  weakest  saint.  This  Jesus  has  already  done. 
The  prophetic  word  is  now  absolute  fact :  "  Thou 
hast  ascended  on  high,  Thou  hast  led  captivity  cap- 
tive. Thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men,  .... 
that  the  Lord  might  dwell  among  them."  (Ps. 
Ixviii.  18.)  Jesus  Christ  now  leads  His  people's 
captivity  captive.     He  binds  Satan  for  them  every 


136  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

day,  having  first  "entered  his  house  and  spoiled 
his  goods." 

The  destruction  of  the  works  of  the  devil,  and 
the  manifestation  of  it,  are  continually  going  on 
wherever  the  faith  of  believers  is  taking  hold  of 
His  "  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises."  It 
is  seen, — 

I.  In  those  injunctions  used  by  the  Apostles, 
who  knew  Satan's  malice  and  power:  ^^ Resist  the 
devil  and  he  will  flee  from  youP  (James  iv.  7.) 
("Your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion, 
walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour) ; 
whom  resist,  steadfast  in  the  faiths  But  how  shall 
a  puny  worm  presume  to  resist  such  a  fierce,  uni- 
versal, and  apparently  omnipotent  foe  ?  Because 
Jesus  has  already  so  destroyed  the  works  of  the 
devil  in  the  soul  of  the  believer,  that  by  a  simple 
faith  the  devil  is  frightened  away.  That  simple 
faith  counteracts  the  devil's  wiles,  by  bringing 
against  him,  in  the  very  instant,  the  force  of  the 
eternal  Lord  which  he  dares  not  face. 

Jesus  Himself  hath  put  the  very  expression  into 
our  lips  which  brings  dismay  to  Satan,  and  mani- 
fests the  destruction  of  his  works.  He  tells  us  to 
pray,  "  deliver  us  from  evil."  The  greatest  or  the 
least  evil.  The  devil  or  any  of  his  works  deliver 
us  therefrom.  When  put  up  in  faith,  it  brings  an 
immediate,  sweet,  full,  infallible  return.  The  devil's 
evil  is  immediately  broken  in  the  heart,  or  we  are 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I37 

not  delivered  from  it.  But  we  are  delivered  from 
it  when  the  Holy  Ghost  takes  His  throne  within, 
and  garnishes  the  temple  of  the  heart  with  all 
manner  of  holiness.  If  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  not 
banish  the  works  of  the  devil,  how  can  He  Himself 
dwell  ^vithin  us  ?  But  He  doth  dwell  within  us. 
And  by  His  omnipotent  sway  He  hath  banished  the 
false  accuser  from  the  heart,  and  hath  made  it  "  all- 
glorious  within." 

The  present  destruction  of  the  works  of  Satan  is 
seen, 

2.  In  our  daily  and  continuous  deliverance  from 
bondage  through  fear  of  death,  or  any  other  fear. 
We,  being  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  "  He  also 
Himself,  likewise,  took  part  of  the  same ;  that 
through  death  He  might  destroy  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  deliver  them 
who,  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime 
subject  to  bondage."  (Heb.  ii.  14,  15.)  In  con- 
sequence of  this  gracious  deliverance  many  are 
now  living  in  glorious  liberty  who  were  formerly 
slaves  to  fear,  and  they  have  been  in  the  daily  and 
uninterrupted  enjoyment  of  th^  pleasing  experience, 
many  of  them  for  years,  which  have  been  like 
heaven  upon  earth. 

It  may,  indeed,  be  that  the  number  appears 
small.  It  appears  small  because  they  are  scattered 
among  so  many  who  live,  according  to  their  own 
confessions,  far  below  their  privileges.     Concern- 


138  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

ing  this  latter  class  it  is  to  be  remarked,  that  under 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  must  be 
criminal  in  the  intelligent  believer  to  live  below  his 
privilege.  The  grace  is  so  free,  the  Lord  Jesus  is 
so  ready,  the  word  of  promise  so  full,  the  Holy 
Ghost  so  omnipotent,  the  faith  required  so  simple, 
it  should  not  seem  that  any  believer  would  walk  in 
chains  of  bondage. 

The  works  of  the  devil  are  continually  being 
destroyed. 

3.  In  the  daily  courage  of  many  of  the  believers 
of  Jesus.  It  need  not  be  said  that  many  who  have 
been  fearful  of  risking  life  for  the  Lord,  or  for 
themselves,  have,  upon  putting  their  trust  in  Him, 
and  setting  out  upon  His  service,  become  bold  ad- 
vocates of  His  doctrine  and  His  ways.  In  times 
of  persecution,  they  have  endured  with  the  utmost 
patience,  resignation,  fortitude,  and  even  joyfulness, 
the  most  grievous  tortures,  not  accepting  deliver- 
ance. This  is  the  destmction  of  the  works  of  the 
devil  in  their  hearts  so  fa».  And  such  have  con- 
fessed His  power  to  do  wondrous  works  in  their 
souls,  bringing  them. near  unto  Him,  conquering 
all  backwardness  of  their  nature  to  suffer  for  Him. 
It  is  the  old  story  living  yet  in  power  —  "  I  can  do 
all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 
It  is  present  as  well  as  historical  illustration  of  the 
gracious  fact,  that  in  the  destruction  of  the  works 
of  the  devil  in  our  hearts,  "  God  hath  not  given  us 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I39 

the  Spirit  of  fear ;  but  of  power  and  of  love  and  of 
a  sound  mind."     (2  Tim.  i.  7.) 

Because  Jesus  hath  already  destroyed  the  works 
of  the  devil  in  many  things, 

4.  The  Church  of  Jesus  has  a  precious  song  of 
present  rede?nption  to  sing  ;  and  many  are  now  sing- 
ing it  with  rapture  upon  the  earth  :  "  O  death  ! 
where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave !  where  is  thy  vic- 
tory ?  "  The  believer  is  conscious,  by  the  power  of 
an  indwelling  Christ,  that  for  us  Jesus  "  hath  abol- 
ished death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  immortality 
to  light  through  the  gospel."  So  that  we  need  not 
shrink  at  "death's  alarms."  Nay,  rather  we  sing 
that  death  is  abolished  :  "  It  is  not  death  to  die  ! " 

"Jesus,  thou  Prince  of  Life  ! 
Thy  chosen  cannot  die  ; 
Like  Thee  they  conquer  in  the  strife, 
To  reign  with  Thee  on  high." 

Sing  the  song,  brother,  sister  !  Let  not  Satan 
rob  you  of  your  joy,  and  send  you  back  to  slavery 
in  fear  of  death.  Jesus  has  blessed  the  grave  by 
taking  its  precious  dust  in  His  own  care,  and  He 
will  watch  over  the  elements  so  that  they  shall  not 
irrevocably  scatter  it.  "  He  will  raise  you  up  at  the 
last  day."  Let  grief  be  far  away.  We  that  believe 
in  Jesus  are  in  no  land  of  captivity.  It  is  not  the 
day  of  darkness  and  the  dead,  but  of  Jesus'  power 
to  save  from  all  darkness,  and  to  give  the  light  of 
life.     Praise  Him  !     Hell  is  vanquished.     Satan  is 


I40  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

defeated.  Believers  triumph,  and  they  sing  the 
song  of  Moses  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb.  They 
sing  the  song  of  kingship  and  of  priesthood,  and 
hell  and  Satan  are  powerless  to  vanquish  them,  or 
to  disturb  the  heavenly  melody  of  their  singing. 

Now,  it  is  not  needed  that  the  Church  wait  till 
all  the  works  of  the  devil  are  destroyed  before  she 
sings.  Jesus  may  not  see  fit  at  once  to  destroy 
them  all  in  the  whole  earth.  That  will  be  by  and 
by.  But  for  and  in  His  saints,  as  we  have  seen,  it 
is  His  glory  to  destroy  them,  in  order  that  we  may 
^^ live  in  holiness- afid  righteousness  before  Him  all 
the  days  of  our  life."  Let  the  generations  of  be- 
lievers, as  they  come  and  go,  by  faith  trust  the  slain 
Lamb  to  accomplish  His  own  gracious  and  match- 
less results.  "Faithful  is  He  that  calleth  them, 
who  also  will  do  it." 

III.  There  are  questions  arising  in  the  minds  of 
believers,  the  answers  of  which  appear  from  their 
present  view,  at  least,  daring,  and  such  as  (they 
think)  they  never  could  utter.  It  may  be  that  they 
do  not  now  look  at  these  questions  from  the  right 
standpoint,  and  that  they  are  mistaken  in  the  an- 
swers which  they  would  justly  give  if  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  this  precious  experience.  The  questions 
upon  which  we  now  treat  are  those  most  frequently 
met  with. 

I.  Are  we  not  to  grow  in  grace  ? 

We  answer,  yes,  by  all  means.     How  could  any 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  I4I 

Christian  live  without  it?  And  yet,  dear  reader, 
many  of  the  notions  of  God's  dear  people  must  be 
wrong  upon  this  point.  I  can  best  illustrate  by 
alluding  to  a  conversation  between  several  Christian 
brethren.  One  of  the  brethren  had  stated  his 
views  of  holiness  by  The  Blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  expressed  his  belief  that  it  was  the  believer's 
privilege  in  Christ  to  live  a  life  of  holiness.  An- 
other brother  answered  that  he  loved  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  tried  to  serve  Him  in  a  weak  way,  but 
that  he  had  sinned  very  much  yesterday  and  to-day, 
and  he  expected  he  should  again  to-morrow.  This 
was  not  said  of  the  constitutional  infirmities  which 
cling  to  us  as  the  results  of  the  fall,  but  it  was 
spoken  in  view  of  known,  conscious  sins.  And 
these  brethren  frequently  utter  their  belief  that 
Christians  necessarily  commit  known  sins. 

We  ask  them  where  they  draw  the  line  ?  How 
much  known  sin  can  we  be  conscious  of  in  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  and  yet  enter  heaven  ?  The 
Word  of  God  is  very  precise  upon  this  point,  and  it 
will  not  do  for  us  to  leave  ourselves  to  the  uncer- 
tainties of  a  vague  plan  of  our  own.  "  Without  j 
holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  It  is  very 
true  that  in  a  moment  a  true  believer  can  have  his 
sins  washed  away,  and  "  if  any  man  sin  we  have  an 
advocate  with  the  Father  ;  "  but  it  is  also  true  that 
we  are  very  uncertain  of  our  life,  and  that  we  may 
go  at  any  moment.     Now  if  we  are  to  be  taken 


142  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

into  eternity  very  suddenly,  and  if  it  be  true  that 
holiness  is  an  essential  requisite  for  heaven,  then  it 
will  not  do  for  us  to  say  that  we  know  we  are  sin- 
ning from  day  to  day,  and  that  we  expect  to  keep 
on  sinning.  In  that  case  heaven  is  a  very  great 
uncertainty,  or  rather  it  is  certainly  not  ours. 

The  Word  of  God  presents  Jesus  to  us,  not  as 
taking  sinners  into  heaven,  but  as  redeeming  them 
from  iniquity,  cleansing  them,  saving  them  from  sin, 
and  thus  preparing  them.  Holiness  is  presented 
as  a  fact,  a  living  reality,  and  the  whole  philosophy 
is  stated  whereby  His  people  may  perfect  their 
holiness.  Nor  is  the  perfecting  of  holiness  spoken 
of  as  mingled  with  sin  in  the  soul.  No,  the  sin,  the 
"filthiness  of  the  flesh,"  is  first  cast  out,  and  then 
holiness^  having  taken  its  place,  is  perfected. 

Holiness  is  not  unholiness.  Sinning  from  day  to 
day  is  not  of  the  nature  of  holiness.  Holiness  is 
cleansing  —  sin  is  corrupting.  Sinning  from  day 
to  day  makes  holiness  from  day  to  day  impossible. 
Sin  does  not  and  cannot  consist  with  holiness.  We 
are' told  about  David  and  Peter,  but  they  do  not 
and  cannot  tell  us  that  David  and  Peter  were  holy 
when  they  committed  their  sins.  Nor  could  they 
have  entered  heaven  (they  were  not  fit  for  it)  when 
they  were  thus  sinning.  Nor  was  it  the  decree  of 
God  that  they  should  sin.  Concerning  us  it  is  writ- 
ten, that  "  He  hath  chosen  us  in  Him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  toe  should  be  holy  and 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 43 

without  blame  before  Him  in  love^     All  the  dec-   "\ 
larations  of  the  Word  of  God  about  holiness  pre-        | 
sent  it  as  a  being  cleansed,  as  a  state  of  separation 
unto  God  ;  with  the  motions  of  the  divine  life  act- 
ive in  us,  with  a  gracious  and  God-given  and  God- 
inworking  ability  to  cease   from   sin  and   self  as    / 
"partakers  of  the  divine  nature." 

Yes,  after  cleansing  is  done,  holiness  is  to  be 
perfected,  not  by  daily  sinning  and  repenting  and 
daily  repenting  a  little  more  so  as  to  catch  up  to 
our  sins  by  the  time  we  die  ;  but  holiness  is  to  be 
perfected.  The  perfecting  of  holiness  is  its  estab- 
lishment as  the  habit  of  the  life,  the  completion  of 
its  degrees  in  our  growth  in  the  love  and  knowl- 
edge of  Christ,  and  in  the  sight  and  sense  and  ap- 
preciation of  new  views  of  the  divine  glory  and 
work  of  redemption.  Holiness  in  the  saint  is  both 
perfect  and  to  be  perfected.  It  is  perfect  in  that  it 
cannot  be  imperfect.  It  is  perfect  in  that  it  covers 
the  whole  of  our  being.  It  does  not  appertain  to 
the  half  or  a  greater  portion  of  our  manhood,  but 
to  every  power  of  body,  mind,  and  heart.  //  is 
wholeness.  It  does  not  exist  in  a  half-hearted  state. 
Holiness  is  perfect  in  its/supreme  disgust  of  sin,  its 
complete  separation  from  it,  its  complacency  in 
God  and  His  divine  complacency  in  it  as  His  de- 
light, honorable  and  precious. 

The  divine  philosophy  of  this  perfection  of  holi- 
ness in  the  saint  of  God  is,  that  it  is  the  work  of 


144  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Jesus  Christ  by  His  Holy  Spirit.  If  it  were  man's 
work  it  would  be  very  imperfect,  and  its  name 
would  speedily  perish.  Holiness  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  the  believer's  heart  in  answer  to  his 
faith.  It  is  a  continuous  work  on  the  heart  of  the 
man  abiding  in  Christ.  If  he  abide  in  Christ  he 
sinneth  not,  but  if  he  leave  his  abiding-place  an 
hour  or  a  day  he  sins  —  in  the  one  case  he  is  whole, 
cured  of  all  his  plague,  filled  with  the  riches  of  the 
king's  palace  ;  in  the  other  he  is  sick,  sick  in  every 
part  of  him,  and  ready  to  perish.  We  must  repeat 
our  view  of  this  matter  as  one  of  vital  importance, 
because  it  has  been  strongly  objected  to. 

Objectors  have  said,  "Why,  then,  you  hold  that 
/  a  man  is  either  perfectly  sinful  or  perfectly  holy." 
We  answer.  One  look  to  Christ  brings  Him  into 
our  hearts,  awakening  all  our  powers  into  active 
sympathy  with  Him.  And  "  he  that  offendeth  in 
one  point  is  guilty  of  all."  He  that  is  holy  does 
not  sin.  He  that  knowingly  sins  is  certainly  not 
holy.  Any  other  view  raises  the  question  with  a 
very  dubious  answer,  "What,  then,  is  meant  by  re- 
demption in  Christ,  old  things  passed  away  and  all 
things  become  new  ?  " 

As  to  the  saving  power  of  Christ,  who  can 
doubt  it  ?  Looking  to  Jesus  brings  Him  into  the 
soul,  enthrones  Him  there,  and  invites  an  authority 
which,  according  to  His  promise,  He  is  sure  to  ac- 
cept and  use.     If  touching  the  hem  of  His  garment 


THE    REST    CF    FAITH.  I45 

availed  to  drive  away  the  woman's  infirmity  in  an 
instant,  have  we  not  reason  to  think  that  the  eating 
and  drinking  of  Him  by  faith  make  the  heart 
whole,  and  renew  the  nature  of  a  man  ?  It  seems 
strange  to  take  any  other  view.  The  infinite  com- 
passion of  Christ  teaches  us  that  He  will  not  leave 
us  without  His  own  power  to  save  us.  His  divine 
love  pledges  to  us  the  powerful  indwelling  of  His 
Holy  Spirit,  for  the  supply  of  every  want  of  our 
renewed  nature.  How  easy,  therefore,  is  obedi- 
ence to  the  Lord's  command  to  be  holy.  It  is  but 
to  look  and  be  so.  True,  it  requires  a  giving  up 
of  all  refuges  and  all  idols,  but  consider  that  there 
is  no  looking  at  all  without  this. 

Any  person  who  thinks  He  is  looking  to  Jesus, 
and  has  not  made  an  entire  surrender  according  to 
his  light,  is  deceived :  he  is  not  looking  to  Jesus. 
This  point  should  be  well  understood,  for  it  lays 
great  responsibility  on  the  ministry,  and  is  the 
secret  reason  of  all  the  worldliness  and  vanity  that 
has  made  its  way  into  the  visible  Church.  One  ^ 
look  at  Christ  must  make  me  whole,  or  I  cannot 
understand  the  types,  the  promises,  the  invitations, 
nor  understand  how  it  is  possible  for  me  to  enter 
heaven.  Now,  then,  it  must  be  that  the  soul  look- 
ing to  Jesus  is,  by  Him,  in  answer  to  the  faith 
which  receives  Him  as  such,  made  holy  —  it  is  per-  / 
feet  in  Christ. 

Let  it  be  further  observed  that  this  holiness  is 
10 


146  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

to  be  perfected.  Its  degrees  are  to  be  made  as  the 
growth  of  a  perfect  child  from  infancy,  perfect  in 
all  the  parts  of  a  living  man,  but  to  be  developed 
in  strength,  in  capacity,  in  associations  and  influ- 
ence with  and  over  others.  The  principles  of  holi- 
ness may  be  made  stronger,  the  light  of  God  may 
shine  more  fully,  the  Word  of  God  may  be  better 
understood,  the  means  of  grace  may  be  more  and 
more  skilfully  handled,  the  living  sympathies  of  the 
body  of  Christ  (His  people)  may  be  more  and  more 
cultivated.  And  so  the  will  of  God  in  our  whole 
nature  shall  give  robustness  to  all  our  holy  charac- 
ter, that  it  may  be  rounded  out  into  full  proportions 
and  positive  influence  upon  all  with  whom  it  comes 
in  contact.  So  our  full-born  souls  go  on  unto  the 
perfection  of  resurrection  glory,  not  ceasing  to  grow 
even  when  we  have  reached  heaven  itself 

2.  If  we  are  saved  from  sin,  where  comes  in  its 
confession.  Is  it  possible,  then,  that  we  are  to  con- 
fess sin  no  longer  ? 

It  is  our  desire  here  to  answer  the  question  (for 
we  think  every  difficulty  in  the  mind  of  an  inquirer 
will  be  met  by  it),  — 

What  is  Evangelical  confession  of  Sin  ? 

There  are  many  whose  religion  is  shown  by  a 

sweeping  declaration  and  confession  of  their  sins. 

They  are  sometimes  even  so  free  as  to  declare 

themselves  "the  chief  of  sinners,"  and  say  that,  if  a 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 47 

man  do  not  really  feel  himself  to  be  the  chief  of 
sinners,  he  must  be  mistaken.  They  regard  the 
confession  of  sin  as  a  necessary  part  of  every 
prayer — a  suitable  preparation  for  asking  the  mercy 
of  God  in  Christ.  But  their  confession  of  sin,  so 
far  as  we  have  heard  it,  is  one  of  the  most  unin- 
telligible habits,  to  hear  which  one  might  suppose 
they  were  about  falling  into  hell.  For  certainly 
people  who  do  such  things  as  they  confess  every 
day,  can  have  no  interest  in  Christ,  and  do  not  cer- 
tainly have  the  promised  Holy  Spirit. 

It  is  not  long  since  that  we  heard  a  confession 
of  this  kind  by  a  gospel  minister.  He  was  confess- 
ing sin  for  the  congregation  assembled.  He  told 
the  Lord  that  we  sinned  with  a ''high  hand  and 
a  stretched-out  arm,"  that  we  had  "forgotten  our 
God,"  "gone  away  from  Him,"  that  *'we  had 
lied  unto  Him,"  our  lives  being  at  variance  with 
our  profession.  Indeed,  had  any  irreligious  person 
noticed  the  language  of  that  confession,  he  might 
justly  have  said  that  by  their  own  words  those  peo- 
ple had  been  a  set  of  hypocrites ;  and  that  the  grace 
of  God,  and  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  (for  whom  the  same  prayer  uttered 
thanks)  had  been  quite  ineffectual  to  produce  that 
hoHness  which  God  requires  in  His  saints.  The 
confession  of  sin  is  insisted  on  with  pertinacity  as  a 
necessary  duty  of  every  moment  of  our  Christian 
life,  the  presence  of  sin  is  insisted  on  as  the  con- 


148  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

tinual  plague  of  every  Christian  heart,  and  they 
speak  as  if  every  Christian  must  continue  to  have  a 
"plague  in  his  heart,"  notwithstanding  God's  prom- 
ise of  cleansing  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  the  descriptions 
of  the  blood  of  Christ  as  our  Fountain,  and  the 
statements  of  our  renewed  condition,  as  those  that 
are  walking  *'  in  the  light,  as  God  is  in  the  light." 
We  verily  believe  that,  in  some  quarters,  the  con- 
fession of  sin  is  the  most  unintelligent  portion  of 
private  and  public  worship. 

When  Jesus  Christ  washes  us,  after  we  have 
yielded  our  all  to  Him  that  He  may  be  the  effect- 
ual Worker  in  us,  we  are  made  clean,  "  without 
spot  and  unrebukable  in  His  sight."  Our  past  sins 
are  then  all  put  away  from  us  —  away  from  the 
sight  of  God,  away  from  the  record  against  us; 
the  precious  blood  stands  for  all  the  infirmities  of 
fallen  nature.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  keep 
us  clean  by  drawing  us  to  Christ,  taking  the  things 
of  Christ  and  showing  them  to  us,  and  applying  to 
our  hearts  the  truth  of  the  Holy  Word.  This  is 
the  "  sanctification  of  the  Spirit "  apprehended  by 
faith,  the  "  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  In  this  way  it  is  that  we 
become  "  new  creatures,"  the  plague  is  taken  out 
of  our  hearts,  sin  cured,  "  old  things  [sinning 
among  them]  have  passed  away,  and  all  things 
have  become  new." 
'v     We  surely  are  not  now,  in  this  gracious  state  of 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 49 

oneness  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  "rolling  sin  under 
our  tongues,"  and  "  sinning  every  moment  in 
thought,  word,  and  deed."  If  we  are  wrong,  then 
we  ask  where  is  the  cure  wrought  by  our  God  ? 
In  what  does  it  consist  ?  You  answer,  "  In  the 
tendency  of  our  being."  But  if  we  are  sinning,  the 
tendency  of  our  being  is  to  sin.  And  if  we  are 
living  unto  God,  the  tendency  of  our  being  is  unto 
God.  So  says  the  Word  of  God.  "  For  when  ye 
were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  right- 
eousness." "  Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye 
became  the  servants  of  righteousness." 

After  this  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  there  must  of 
necessity  be  a  very  acute  sense  of  the  sinfulness  of 
sin.  "That  sin  by  the  commandment  might  be- 
come exceeding  sinful."  Its  appearance  to  the 
awakened  child  of  God  is  hideous.  It  cannot  be 
otherwise,  because  we  are  partakers  of  the  Divine 
nature.  If  this  be  so,  and  we  feel,  from  the  very 
necessities  of  our  regeneration, 

"  A  tender  sensibility  to  sin, 
A  pain  to  feel  it  near," 

even  in  its  slightest  forms,  it  would  seem  that  the 
weight  of  sin  which  we  noticed  above  as  being  con- 
fessed, must  craze  our  sense.  It  does  not  produce 
this  result  in  those  who  habitually  confess  it,  since 
it  is  with  them  too  often  a  simple  dogmatic  con- 
fession, lest  they  should  fall  from  true  humility. 


150  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

But  if  it  be  true  that  we  are  thus  sensible  to  the 
presence  of  sin,  then  the  confession  of  it  will  not 
be  a  mere  general  statement  of  our  sinfulness.  It 
will  be  specific.  When  we  commit  sin  we  shall 
know  it,  feel  it,  and  be  deeply  wounded  by  it,  and 
we  can  lay  it  specifically  before  God.  It  will  be 
no  unintelligent  confession  of  general  sinfulness. 
In  fact,  we  think  that  the  confession  of  general  sin- 
fulness when  God  has  proclaimed  our  pardon,  our 
justification,  our  sanctification  by  faith  in  Jesus, 
and  our  new  creation,  is  dishonoring  to  the  Great 
Workman  in  our  salvation,  is  a  phraseology  which 
belongs  to  our  old  condition,  and  is  an  act  of 
unbeUef  in  not  taking  God  at  His  word  in  His 
statements  about  our  purification. 

It  must  therefore  be  very  weakening  to  us,  as  it 
takes  our  eyes  off  from  Christ,  and  stops  the  flow 
of  that  gracious  life  which  comes  from  Him.  In 
old  theological  dogmas  (God  forbid  that  we  should 
cast  them  all  aside)  there  has  been  too  great  a 
confounding  of  the  state  of  sinner  and  saint.  It  is 
hard  to  see  how  a  saint  should  be  loaded  down 
with  sins.  To  apply  generalities,  applicable  to 
unregenerate  life,  to  saintly  life,  is  very  manifestly 
an  incongruity  which  must  shut  out  the  truth  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  produce  misapprehensions  of  His 
work  in  the  soul. 

We  hold  evangelical  confession  of  sin  by  Chris- 
tians to  be,  — 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  15! 

T.  Profound  gratitude  and  thanksgiving  to  God 
for  his  miracle  of  grace  in  healing  our  incurable 
souls,  and  a  constant  testimony,  in  every  way  we 
can  give  it,  that  we  were  what  we  are  not,  that  we 
are  what  we  were  not,  by  the  grace  of  God.  "  By 
the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am." 

2.  If  actual  sin  has  been  committed,  the  tender 
heart  of  a  saint  (we  are  not  speaking  of  doubtful 
cases,  but  of  undoubted  Christians)  wili  always 
know  it,  and  will  specifically  confess  those  sins,  in 
no  mere  general  terms,  but  as  such.  If  not  too 
much  tied  up  to  the  pseudo-dogma  of  necessarily 
indwel/mg  sin^ -prodncing  unbelief  in  Christ's  power 
to  save  to  the  uttermost,  he  may  sweetly  find  that 
Jesus  saves  him  from  sin.  Then  he  may  confess 
that. 

3.  The  supposed  answer  to  this  question  is  a 
stumbling-block  to  many : 

AM    I    HOLY? 

This  question  almost  invariably  gets  a  negative 
answer.  There  is  a  fear  of  professing  holiness,  and 
a  dread  of  entering  into  companionship  with  error- 
ists.  Our  position  is  at  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ. 
And  the  question  is  not  one  of  egotistical  ostenta- 
tion, or  of  Pharisaical  pride,  neither  of  any  dog- 
matic spirit,  being  simply  a  consideration  of  what 
the  Lord  Jesus  has  done  for  us,  of  the  present 
extent  of  His  remedy  for  the  sins  of  His  people. 


152  THE   REST  OF    FAITH. 

Put  the  question  in  another  form.  Am  I  a  saint? 
It  is  the  very  same  question.  Now  answer  it. 
You  fear  you  are  not  a  saint  ?  Then  you  fear  that 
you  do  not  bear  a  character  which  was  universally 
applied  and  meant  to  be  applied  to  the  members 
of  the  primitive  Church.  You  are  willing  to  admit 
in  general  that  you  are  a  Christian,  but  you  are 
very  anxious  to  say  that  you  are  a  very  poor  one, 
or  a  very  unfaithful  one,  or  a  very  imperfect  one, 
and  that  you  have  a  great  deal  of  remaining  de- 
pravity. 

We  think,  beloved,  that  you  are  by  these  utter- 
ances giving  great  encouragement  to  a  kind  of 
religion  which  is  ruining  the  spirituality  of  the 
Church.  For  it  places  the  Church  with  the  world, 
it  emboldens  indolent  Christians  to  think  they  are 
on  the  ground  the  Lord  has  chosen  for  them,  and 
it  encourages  false  professors,  and  deceived  persons 
in  their  show  of  religion,  which  they  are  incited  to 
beheve,  by  your  confessions  can  be  legitimately 
mingled  with  a  little  sin.  And  thus  we  get  into 
the  Church  many  worldly  people,  who  appear  to 
love  pleasure  more  than  God,  and,  in  all  proba- 
bility they  do. 

But  must  this  inevitably  be  so  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  Jesus  Christ,  in  opening  "  the  fountain  for  sin 
and  for  uncleanness,"  designed  that  every  soul  of 
His  people,  or  majiy  souls  of  His  people,  or  any 
souls  of  His  people,  should  be  tainted  with  sin  ? 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  1 53 

And  that  with  the  two  most  prominent  utterances 
of  His  word  before  us  ? 

1.  That  He  is  of  "purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
evil,"  and  that  He  cannot  look  upon  sin,  etc. 

2.  That  He  will  dwell  in  His  people,  and  walk 
in  them.  Can  two  walk  together  except  they  be 
agreed  ?  Can  two  dwell  together  when  they  must 
be  in  infinite  and  eternal  disagreement  ?  Can  God 
dwell  in  our  souls  with  sin,  when  it  is  written  that 
He  cannot  look  upon  it  ?  Does  God  walk  in  His 
people  while  they  are  daily  and  hourly  sinning 
against  Him  ?  There  either  must  be  some  misun- 
derstanding on  the  part  of  the  Lord's  people,  or 
else  God  must  live  with  sin,  which  He  says  He 
cannot  look  upon.  Has  God  provided  nothing  to 
meet  this  emergency?  Does  He  not  design  to 
purify  His  Church  from  all  iniquity,  and  has  He 
not  decreed,  from  all  eternity,  that  we  ^'■should  be 
holy  and  without  blavie  before  Him  in  love''?  He 
has,  beloved.  The  fault  is  not  in  God's  work. 
He  has  opened  a  Fountain  for  sin  and  uncleanness. 
He  has  sent  His  Holy  Spirit  to  dwell  in  us,  so  that 
sin  might  not  have  any  place  in  us,  so  that  the 
righteousness  of  the  "  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

What,  then,  is  the  difficulty?  This:  that  the 
people  of  God  have  the  views  and  feelings  of 
the  world  reproduced  in  their  religious  exercises 
through  unbelief     Unbelief  is  a  want  of  full  reli- 


154  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

ance  on  Christ  to  do  all  things  for  us,  and  a  want 
of  separation  unto  Christ,  in  every  engagement  of 
life.  Faith  binds  us  to  Christ,  unbelief  separates 
us  from  Him.  Faith  receives  all  that  Christ  has 
done ;  unbelief  is  afraid  to  appropriate  all  His 
work^  as  if  it  would  be  presumption.  Faith  gives 
up  entirely  to  Him,  that  He  alone  may  work, 
willing  and  doing  within  us ;  unbelief  wants  to 
help  work,  and  to  examine  the  flaws  which  nature 
has  left,  and  so  stops  Christ  from  working.  It  is 
as  if  the  man  with  the  withered  arm,  after  it  was 
healed,  should  have  looked  at  it  to  examine  and 
see  if  it  was  really  healed-  But  he  doubtless  went 
forth  in  its  use,  to  praise  the  Gracious  Restorer. 
And  so  shall  we  do  when  we  understand  the  true 
way  of  faith. 

What  has  He  done  ?  Has  He  not  made  a  full 
provision  for  His  people  to  be  saved  from  their 
sins  according  to  the  meaning  of  His  name  Jesus  ? 
Yes,  beloved.  His  work  is  perfect,  *'  that  we,  being 
delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  might 
serve  Him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  Him,  all  the  days  of  our  life,"  that  we 
might,  with  a  true  faith,  "reckon  ourselves  to  be 
dead  indeed  unto  sin,  and  alive  unto  God  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  But  it  is  not  the  part  of 
faith  to  reckon  ourselves  what  we  are  not.  No  : 
faith  takes  hold  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  appro- 
priates  His   precious  blood  and   His  purchased 


THE   REST  OF   FAITH.  1 55 

Spirit,  and  believes  we  are  holy  by  His  inworkingy 
by  His  indwelling.  It  commits  the  keeping  and 
the  cleansing  of  the  soul  to  Him,  as  to  a  faithful 
Lord,  who  will  do  what  He  hath  called  us  for,  i.e., 
"  sanctify  us  wholly  in  body,  and  soul,  and  spirit, 
and  preserve  us  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."  This  is  the  faith  of  every 
returning  prodigal.  If  our  newly  converted  heard 
more  praise  for  the  full  cure  of  sin,  their  faith 
might  soon  grasp  the  uttermost  salvation ;  but 
they  soon  learn  to  believe  that  they  cannot  be 
cured  fully,  and  thus  unbelief  is  fostered. 

And  so  it  is  the  present  experience  of  the 
Church  after  she  has  been  cured  of  sin  as  the  man 
was  cured  of  his  palsied  arm.  She  looks  to  see  if 
she  is  really  cured,  and  Hke  David  numbering  the 
people  in  unbelief,  falls  into  mourning  and  help- 
lessness, and  worse  than  all,  into  a  condition  of 
unbelief  According  to  her  faith  she  is  cured, 
according  to  her  unbelief  the  old  sin  palsy  returns. 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is,  that  when 
Jesus  has  done  a  work  for  us,  we  are  not  to  fear 
proclaimi7ig  our  new  character  to  His  praise.  We 
are  to  go  home  to  our  friends,  or  wherever  His 
sovereign  pleasure  has  placed  us,  and  tell  them 
what  great  things  God  has  done  for  us.  We  were 
blind,  now  we  see  —  tell  all  that  we  do  see  the 
great  things  of  His  law.  We  were  unholy,  but  by 
His  grace  we  are  holy,  saved  from  sin,  and  filled 


156  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

with  all  the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Surely 
it  is  no  Pharisaism  to  proclaim  what  God  has  done 
for  us,  and  no  vaunting  of  self  when  we  proclaim 
to  the  praise  of  Jesus,  that  He  has  "  made  us  meet 
to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light."  For  it  is  never  said  by  any  enjoying  this 
sacred  light,  "I  am  holier  than  thou,"  or,  "I  am 
holy  of  myself,"  or,  "I  can  be  holy  if  I  choose." 
By  no  means.  The  praise  always  is  given  to  Jesus 
with  the  same  breath.  This  is  the  word  of  our 
expression,  "  Jesus  saves  me ; "  "  My  Lord  has 
been  with  me  to-day,  and  has  been  for  me  the 
double  cure."  "  Praise  the  Lord  that  such  a  poor 
sinner  is  made  by  heavenly  grace  a  saint,  a  holy 
person,  through  His  blood  and  Spirit."  Is  that 
Pharisaism  ?  Nay,  it  is  the  utterance  of  those  who 
enjoy  the  earnests  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  It 
is  the  language  of  that  heaven  below  in  which,  as  in 
a  fiery  chariot,  they  expect  to  go  to  heaven.  It  is 
the  "  Glory  begun  below." 

4.  "  Yes,"  say  many  who  are  convinced  of  the 
truth,  but  do  not  know  the  living  reality  in  their 
own  souls,  "it  must  be  a  precious  experience,  but 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  live  so.  I  might  in  the 
millennium,  but  now  I  cannot.  Beloved  reader, 
do  we  not  have  some  earnests  of  summer,  days 
when  everything  has  the  appearance  of  the  coming 
months  ?  Do  not  the  months  in  their  peculiar  man- 
ifestations of  weather  lap  over  into  one  another  ? 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  157 

Does  not  the  millennium  grow  out  of  this  dispen- 
sation of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  Have  we  not  now  all 
promises  and  all  appliances  sufficient  to  bring  about 
that  wonderful  blessedness?  Is  not  all  that  is 
wanting  the  simple  faith  of  believers?  Do  not 
answer  me,  beloved,  that  the  fulness  of  time  has 
not  yet  come  for  God  to  bring  all  His  children  into 
a  millennial  experience.  For  God's  time  is  known 
only  to  Himself,  and  more  than  that.  He  works 
upon  individuals  singly  and  alone  ;  and  further  yet, 
if  may  be  in  His  design  that  you  shall  be  the  very 
next  person  to  enter  into  this  rest  of  faith^  and  thus 
antedate  that  glorious  day.  So  far  from  being  a 
hard  way,  or  impossible,  we  shall  find  our  Re- 
deemer's words  to  be  true  to  the  letter  :  "  My  yoke 
is  easy  and  my  burden  is  light."  Do  not  be 
startled,  beloved,  by  our  view.  We  do  not  have 
to  live  so.  Christ  has  made  Himself  responsible 
for  our  life.     ONLY  BELIEVE. 

CHRIST  IS  OUR  LIFE. 
Christ  is  our  life.  There  is  the  whole  matter. 
Faith  is  the  bond.  "  I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  "  In 
Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead."  We 
question  no  more,  then,  upon  His  riches  of  life. 
But  since  He  is  our  life,  why  question  upon  the 
fulness  of  the  life  we  are  to  lead  ?     It  is  very  true 


158  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

that  it  is  measured  by  our  capacities  in  one  sense, 
but  why  should  it  be  measured  by  infirmities  when 
it  is  designed  to  overcome  them ;  or  by  former  sin- 
ful habits  which  it  is  calculated  to  cure,  and  to  re- 
place by  good  and  holy  living  ?  Or  why  should  it 
be  gauged  at  all  by  the  wretchedness  which  marks 
an  absence  of  simple  faith,  from  which  Jesus  most 
distinctly  promises  to  deliver  us?  "My  peace  I 
leave  with  you." 

But  we  are  met  by  many,  very  many,  who  are 
saying,  "Yes,  that  is  so,  if  we  could  always  live  so." 
The  answer  to  their  objection  is  that  Christ  is  our 
LIFE.  It  is  not  we  that  live,  but  "  Christ  liveth 
IN  ME."  No  greater  mistake  can  be  made  in  regard 
to  holy  living  than  that  we  do  the  living  —  in  other 
words,  that  we  live  ourselves.  "  Not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me."  Faith  does  nothing  in  the  matter, 
but  simply  takes  Him  at  His  word.  Christ  says, 
"  I  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them."  Faith 
flings  away  the  little  all  of  self,  and  says,  "  So  Thou 
Shalt." 

*'  Victorious  faith  the  promise  sees. 
And  looks  to  that  alone  ; 
Laughs  at  impossibilities. 
And  cries  '  It  shall  be  done.' " 

The  poor  life  of  unbelief,  which  has  become  fear- 
fully prevalent,  looks  on  the  wretchedness-side,  on 
the  law-side.  There  is,  indeed,  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  Christ-side  of  the  picture,  but  mistaken 
humility  often  cries  out  for  the  "  bitter-herbs."     It 


THE    REST   OF   FAITH.  150 

is  the  glory  of  the  Church  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  He  has  taken  the  bitter-herbs  out  of  the  feast. 
A\Tien  the  Jews  killed  the  lamb  they  must  mingle 
the  taste  of  it  with  bitter-herbs ;  but  now,  when  the 
poor  sinner  has  been  eating  the  bitterness,  he  has 
only  to  eat  Jesus  Christ  —  His  body  and  blood. 
God  puts  nothing  in  to  spoil  the  taste,  or  to  modify 
the  effect  of  this  heavenly  meat  and  drink.  The 
gospel-passover  is  a  pleasant  feast.  True,  it  is  a 
feast  of  unleavened  bread.  But  what  was  to  the 
Jews  a  figure  of  trial,  is  to  us,  in  the  substance,  very 
great  blessedness. 

The  leaven  of  the  world  we  very  much  dislike, 
we  fly  with  pleasure  and  supreme  satisfaction  to  our 
table  of  the  "unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and 
truth."  Yes,  beloved,  Jesus  has  made  our  present 
perpetual  passover  a  feast  of  abounding  joy.  He 
has  wiped  away  our  tears  of  poverty,  and  given  us 
crowns  of  kings.  It  is  unbelief  which  makes  our 
Christian  life  any  other  than  a  joyful  one.  For 
Christ  is  our  life. 

I.  He  is  our  life  as  regards  all  external  things. 
He  extracts  for  us  sweets  from  poisons,  health  from 
chilly  winds,  honors  from  enemies,  stores  from  fam- 
ine, and  victory  from  overpowering  hosts.  We 
find  everything  to  work  for  good.  And  there  is  no 
exception  —  not  the  very  least.  The  apparent  ex- 
ceptions shall  only  prove  the  rule.  On  one  day  a 
number  of  accidents  may  come  together  touching 


l6o  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

self,  property,  children,  which  men  may  call  very 
great  evils;  but  "victorious  faith"  waits  another 
day  in  sweet  repose,  when  the  good  old  promise 
shall  stand  out  in  monumental  beauty —  "All  things 
[shall]  have  worked  together  for  good." 

We  have  often  wondered  with  great  admiration 
at  the  life  and  activity  with  which  certain  marked 
men  have  appeared  to  inspire  all  under  them,  and 
all  the  concerns  of  vast  commercial  arrangements. 
Men  say,  "What  they  touch  turns  into  gold." 
What,  then,  shall  we  say  of  our  Jesus  ?  It  is  by 
Him  that  these  very  individuals  live,  myriads  of 
them,  and  He  sees  them  all  at  a  glance.  Jesus 
lives  everywhere  for  us,  and  at  His  touch  every- 
thing turns  into  gold,  and  better  than  gold  for  us. 
"When  people  go  from  one  country  to  another  their 
money  needs  exchange,  but  when  they  take  their 
last  journey,  no  broker  can  turn  their  gold  into  the 
heavenly  good.  Our  Jesus  so  works  together  in  all 
things,  that  they  receive  us  into  everlasting  habita- 
tions, and  the  most  unlikely  things  turn  to  profit  in 
the  great  exchange.  What  seemed  old  rags  to  the 
world,  what  unfitted  us  for  the  circles  of  worldly 
society,  enhance  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  rest. 

Therefore,  since  Jesus  has  bidden  us  rest  on 
Him,  we  may  be  thoroughly  convinced  that  nothing 
can  move  outside  of  us  to  harm  us.  We  will  work 
with  our  hands,  we  will  be  very  diligent  in  business ; 
beyond  that  we  will  "  be  careful  for  nothing."     It 


THE   REST  OF   FAITH.  l6l 

is  not  ours  to  make  our  own  life  in  the  external 
world  any  more  than  in  the  internal.  Jesus  is  our 
life  every\vhere,  and  by  Him  our  being  extracts  its 
supplies  from  earth  and  sea  and  air  and  the  angelic 
host. 

Blessed  Jesus,  charm  our  souls  into  a  subserv- 
iency of  all  our  commerce  to  Thy  will.  "It  is 
vain  for  you  to  rise  up  early,  to  sit  up  late,  to  eat 
the  bread  of  sorrows ;  for  so  He  giveth  His  beloved 
sleep."  (Psalm  cxxvii.  2.)  O  Christian  !  do  you 
understand  this?  Do  you  thus  trust  Jesus  for  all 
outside  concerns,  as  well  as  give  all  you  have  and 
all  you  do  to  Him  ?  Then  you  are  a  happy  soul, 
relieved  from  cares  which  press  very  many  into 
grief,  day  by  day. 

"Thrice  happy  man,  thy  Maker's  care 
Shall  keep  thee  from  the  fowler's  snare." 

Jesus  is  more  than  all  this  ! 

2.  He  is  our  inner  life.  Faith  is  the  bond.  It 
is  the  province  of  faith  to  take  Him  as  such,  and 
rest  upon  Him  impHcitly.  We  may  take  Him  to 
be  our  inner  life,  because  He  has  said  it.  "I  am 
come  that  they  might  have  life,  and  that  they 
might  have  it  more  abundantly." 

There  need  be  none  saying,  *'  It  would  be  pleas- 
ant so  to  appropriate  Christ,  if  we  could  always  live 
so."  We  need  no  more  do  this  living  in  the  soul 
than  we  do  the  living  in  the  world.  He  is  the  life 
within.  As  such  we  must  take  Him  for  all  —  the 
11 


1 62  THE   REST  OF   FAITH. 

all  and  in  all  of  our  contented  souls,  happy  if  we 
can  know  that  He  is  fully  enthroned.  "  Christ  in 
you  the  hope  of  glory"  is  the  tender  aspiration 
of  multitudes  who  long  for  a  joy  to  which  they 
are  strangers,  though  they  know  there  is  a  joy 
promised  which  is  unspeakable.  We  do  not  be- 
lieve that  any  man  ever,  even  by  the  grace  of  God, 
becomes  infallible,  but  the  writer  is  free  to  confess 
his  full  belief  in  salvation  '■'■to  the  uttermost'^  by  the 
infallible  Christ.  And  why  not  ?  Let  Him  have 
the  supreme  place,  let  Him  have  your  soul  to  do 
His  will  in  it;  what  is  His  will?  "Even  your 
sanctification."     It  shall  be  done. 

I  repeat,  if  He  have  your  soul  to  do  as  He 
please  in  it,  neither  Satan  nor  yourself  can  stop 
His  work.  That  is,  you  having  yielded  up  all  to 
Him,  will  not  wish  to  take  anything  out  of  His 
hands  ("he  that  belie veth  shall  not  make  haste"), 
and  Satan  cannot  enter.  Satan  flies  if  Jesus  be 
there.  And  if  he  flies  he  cannot  do  much  inside 
nor  out.     "  I  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them." 

Christ  Jesus  is  our  life  as  its  supply.  As  He  pro- 
vides the  breath  for  the  body,  so  He  inspires  the 
soul.  When  it  is  told  us  that  we  do  not  pray  with- 
out the  Holy  Ghost,  why  should  it  not  be  believed 
that  we  do  believe  and  live  by  Him  ?  We  could 
not  love  Him  unless  He  had  first  loved  us  to  come 
in  to  us  and  sup  with  us.  But  He  provides  His 
own  feast  —  "we  with  Him."     Precious  Jesus,  thus 


THE   REST  OF   FAITH.  1 63 

to  assure  us  of  the  pleasure  He  takes  with  us  in 
the  feast  of  His  own  love !  Precious  Jesus,  thus 
to  supply  the  heart,  to  sit  in  it,  to  love  what  is  gar- 
nished by  His  grace.  "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am 
what  I  am." 

He  is  our  hfe  as  its  controller  and  director. 
"  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath 
said,  out  of  him  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water." 
''This  spake  He  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that 
believe  on  Him  should  receive."  His  love  is  all- 
absorbing,  and  so  is  His  presence.  It  is  irresistible. 
Try  it.  Give  Him  the  control  of  your  heart  and 
all  your  powers,  and  see  how  He  shall  fill  every 
avenue  with  Himself.  It  is  a  favorite  way  of  reply- 
ing to  this,  that  He  has  the  control  already.  But, 
beloved,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  if  your  soul 
fully  rested  on  Him  to  control  all  your  movements, 
He  would,  "  according  to  your  faith,"  govern  and 
rectify  and  bless  it  with  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory. 

He  does  indeed  control  as  King  at  all  times,  and 
in  infinite  mercy  keeps  our  feeble  frames ;  but  in 
His  priestly  royalty  He  waits  our  faith's  request  and 
subjection.  It  shall  be  to  you  in  this  as  you  will. 
He  will  not  deny  your  will  in  this  matter.  If  your 
will  opens  to  Him,  His  heavenly  rays  shall  make 
such  a  brightness  in  your  heart  as  to  convince  you 
of  a  heaven  below.  You  shall  find  Him  day  and 
night  filling  your  mind  with  the  choicest  thoughts, 


164  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

leading  you  away  from  habits  of  doubtful  propriety 
and  into  those  of  true  spiritual  security,  and  shed- 
ding abroad  within  you  such  comforts  as  to  contin- 
ually fill  your  mouth  with  a  new  song.  All  the  way 
along  it  shall  be  "Jesus."  "To  me  to  live  is 
Christ."  You  will  be  convinced  of  a  life  within 
which  shall  often  call  out  a  heavenly  surprise. 
Though  you  will  be  very  far  from  doing  the  living, 
yet  you  will  say,  "  I  do  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me."  The  Christ  within  shall  surprise  you 
in  all  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and  you  shall  be  a 
wonder  to  yourself 

Now  it  might  appear  strange  to  say,  beloved, 
'■'•  Let  your  life  control  and  direct  you."  And  yet 
it  is  strangely  sad  that  sin  has  so  affected  our  poor, 
fallen  humanity,  and  unbeHef  has  so  seized  upon 
the  Church  of  Christ,  that  very  few  permit  the  Uving 
principle  within  to  work  out  its  legitimate  results. 
Men  are  dying  from  disease  by  neglect  of  their 
vital  functions,  and  Christians,  through  neglect  of 
their  living  Christ,  and  a  departure  from  simple 
trust  and  complete  submission,  are  mourning  over 
their  wretchedness  and  leanness. 

But  Christians  may  be  a  different  race.  "To 
them  the  privilege  is  given."  They  have  a  happy 
choice  before  them  —  a  choice  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Their  life  !  to  rule  and  absorb  all  their  earthly  life, 
and  constrain  them  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  Him- 
self as  a  present  and  "  uttermost "  Saviour !     In- 


THE   REST  OF   FAITH:  1 65 

deed,  this  is  required  that  they  may  be  proper 
witnesses  to  His  "exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises." 

Believer  in  Jesus,  it  belongs  to  you  to  see  that 
He  has  supreme  control  in  your  heart.  He  is  not 
responsible  for  your  failures.  You  need  not  ask 
Him  if  you  may,  or  to  let  you,  consecrate  all  to 
Him.  Do  it.  Let  Him,  as  your  life,  work  in  you 
His  unspeakable  joy. 

IV.  But  the  greatest  hindrances  to  afi  entrance 
upon  this  rest  of  faith  are  iii  the  hearts  of  Christians, 
If  it  were  not  for  these,  perhaps  their  objections 
would  fade  as  the  early  dew. 

I,  There  is  a  disposition  to  materialize,  to  make 
everything  out  upon  an  earthly  scale.  Some  would 
sit  and  "  sing  themselves  away  to  everlasting  bliss," 
in  a  vague  and  undefinable  fervor,  entirely  satis- 
fied with  their  earthly  condition. 

A  young  Christian  professor,  surrounded  with 
everything  to  please  the  mortal  sense,  once  said, 
"  I  do  not  see  what  need  there  is  of  Christians 
going  to  heaven.  Is  not  this  world,  as  a  work  of 
God,  as  perfect  as  it  can  be  ?  Why  do  we  want 
any  better?"  The  difficulty  was  in  the  want  of 
spiritual  vision.  Such  would  seem  blind  to  the  higher 
style  of  beauty  which  belongs  to  the  spiritual  world. 
They  are  easily  satisfied  with  earth,  and  have  much 
.hardship  in  thinking  of  God,  and  of  heaven,  and 
of  eternal  Ufe.     Their  "  heaven  below  "  is  at  a  vast 


1 66  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

remove  from  God's  heaven  above.  And  yet  we  do 
often  hear  such  speak  of  enjoyment  during  religious 
services,  or  during  some  closet  devotions.  But 
they  complain  that  such  happy  experiences  are 
very  brief,  and  are  succeeded  by  painful  seasons. 
Their  summers  are  short,  their  winters  are  long. 

BELOVED,  THERE  IS  A  REAL  HEAVEN  BELOW. 

The  saints  in  heaven  are  not  only  happy,  they 
are  intelligently  so.  They  are  singing  a  song,  every 
line  of  which,  every  word  of  which,  is  full  of  the 
choicest  thoughts  that  are  possible  to  an  intelligent 
being.  Our  foretaste  is  something  of  the  same 
kind.  It  is  by  no  means  a  continued  repetition  of 
the  name  and  work  of  Jesus  in  verse,  and  a  solemn 
frame  while  at  the  happy  employment ;  but  it  is 
a  sensible  apprehension  of  Christ  as  made  unto  us 
a  most  perfect,  everlasting,  present  Redeemer. 

Nor  is  it  a  mere  temporary  experience,  for  when 
a  person  gets  near  heaven  in  reality,  he  does  not 
wish  to  leave  it  soon.  Surely,  God  will  not  drive 
him  out ;  neither  will  Satan  hope  to  draw  him  out, 
unless  he  sees  encouragement  in  some  looseness  of 
the  mind.  Emotions  are  short-lived,  but  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  everlasting  covenant  are  given  from 
eternity,  and  are  designed  to  reach  into  eternity. 
"A  heaven  below"  is  heaven  begun  below,  and  is 
a  present  knowledge  of  the  same  facts  in  our  re- 
demption,   that  shall   swell   the   heavenly  chorus. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  167 

Heaven's  song  is  full  of  Christ  and  what  He  has 
done.  And  so  is  the  heart  of  one  who  enjoys  the 
foretaste. 

It  would  appear,  then,  that  all  we  have  to  do 
that  we  may  enjoy  heaven  here,  is  to  go  at  once  to 
the  blessed  Jesus ;  and  if  we  know  what  He  has 
done  for  us,  appropriate  it  by  faith,  and  praise  Him 
for  it ;  or,  if  we  do  not  know,  ask  Him,  through 
His  Word,  how  fully  we  may  be  saved  in  this  life, 
and  empty  our  hearts  before  Him  for  the  reception 
of  His  fulness.  For  Jesus  surely  will  possess  us 
wholly,  if  we  will  only  believe  and  not  doubt ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  we  are  standing  on  salva- 
tion ground  by  a  full  consecration  of  our  all  to 
Him. 

Then,  beloved,  you  shall  know  what  it  is  to  have 
heaven  on  earth.  The  frame  may  not  be  excited, 
but  there  will  be  inward  knowledge  of  completeness 
—  perhaps  never  felt  before.  He  will  do  His  work 
sweetly.  He  will  save  you  to  the  uttermost.  You 
may  even  wonder  what  kind  of  a  blessing  He  has 
given  you.  You  will  know  a  precious  riddance 
from  burdens,  a  delightful  sense  of  oneness  with 
Jesus  Himself;  a  full  disposition  to  let  Jesus  have 
the  control  of  you  in  all  things  ;  a  most  tender 
sensibility  to  sin ;  pain  at  the  thought  of  sinning, 
and  a  rising  above  it,  with  the  sweet  assurance  of 
always  being  able  to  triumph  in  Christ.  If  any 
bad  habit  clung  to  you  before,  so  that  it  was  a  grief 


1 68  THE   REST   OF   FAITH. 

to  you,  you  shall  now  find  yourself  delightfully  free 
from  it,  with  a  realization  of  liberty  and  sweetness 
in  the  service  of  God,  such  as  perhaps  you  had 
never  known,  or  at  least  only  in  short  glimpses. 
The  precious  will  of  the  heavenly  Husband  only 
needs  to  be  known  to  make  any  habit  which  is 
unpleasant  to  Him  exceedingly  distasteful  to  us. 
You  shall  commence  the  new  song  which  belongs 
this  side  the  flood  "  unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and 
hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His 
Father ;  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and 
ever.     Amen." 

You  may  find  yourself  walking  the  floors  of 
your  house,  or  your  room,  with  raptures ;  if  you 
are  rich,  you  will  feel  divorced  from  your  riches  to 
pour  them  out  for  Jesus  and  His  cause  and  His 
chosen ;  if  you  are  poor,  you  will  be  enjoying 
greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt  or  in  Wall 
Street.  You  shall  have  songs  in  the  night,  and  will 
feel  the  rising  of  a  hearty  "  Amen  "  to  the  praise 
of  Jesus  wherever  you  hear  it  spoken. 

This,  beloved,  is  heaven  commenced.  How  can 
it  be  a  mere  temporary  emotion  when  all  things 
have  forever  passed  out  of  your  hands,  and  Jesus  is 
received  as  the  living  Christ,  the  triumphant  keep- 
er, Controller,  Life,  indwelling  Redeemer  of  your 
soul. 

The  truth  is,  beloved,  that  this  is  the  salvation 


THE   REST  OF   FAITH.  1 69 

from  all  sin,  which  is  the  privilege  of  every  believer. 
And  yours.  This  is  the  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory,  the  unutterable  blessedness  of  those  who 
will  have  Jesus  to  possess  them  wholly,  and  would 
be  content  with  no  amount  of  good  outside  of 
Him. 

"Thy  gifts,  alas  !  will  not  sufi&ce. 
Unless  Thyself  be  given  ; 
Thy  presence  makes  my  Paradise, 
For  where  Thou  art  is  heaven." 

The  great  need  of  the  members  of  the 
Church  is  {and  they  need  7iot  study  many  volumes 
to  know  the  seer et  of  true  blessedness)  lonely  fel- 
lowship with  Christ. 

To  be  with  Jesus  is  satisfying.  And  we  can  be 
with  Him  now.  Some  took  knowledge  of  the 
early  saints  "  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus."  Nor 
can  any  help  marking  the  persons  who  commune 
with  the  Lord.  For  they  come  from  His  presence 
with  faces  that  show  love,  and  satisfaction,  and  en- 
durance, and  determination  to  hold  up  the  word  of 
life.  If,  then,  we  are  asked,  "  Where  is  the  place 
of  power ;  what  is  the  secret  of  a  life  of  triumph 
over  Satan,  and  sin,  and  Antinomianism  V  we  an- 
swer, in  "  lonely  fellowship  with  Christy 

This  is  the  secret  of  all  saintly  power  within  the 
soul,  in  the  world,  in  the  pulpit,  in  the  press,  in 
business,  in  the  social  circle.  Lonely  fellowship 
with  Christ  shall  bring  the  soul  His  own  gracious 


lyo  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

victories  over  all  its  foes,  and  end  its  inward  strug- 
gle with  the  powers  of  darkness.  It  shall  prepare 
us  to  teach  the  truth  in  clear  lines,  so  that  the 
world  shall  not  mistake.  The  ungodly  will  hate 
and  frown,  and  if  possible,  persecute  ;  but  their 
changing  tribes  shall  feel  the  weight  of  that  influ- 
ence which  eventually  shall  lay  the  nations  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus.  This  truth  applies  both  to  individu- 
als and  to  bands  of  Christ's  followers,  whether 
large  or  small.  Let  the  circles  of  His  people  take 
their  business  to  His  throne,  and  stay  there  with 
it,  until  they  receive  the  thing  they  ask  of  Him,  or 
become  panoplied  by  His  Holy  Spirit  for  the  zeal- 
ous efforts  which  shall  bring  the  desire  of  their 
hearts.  Jesus  often  uses  us  to  do  His  work  and 
accomplish  His  desires.  In  fact.  He  never  does 
what  we  can  do.  He  will  not  do  the  common 
things  which  belong  to  us. 

What  a  blessing  if  every  person  of  the  company, 
besides  thus  taking  their  work  to  Christ  in  a  body, 
lifts  up  his  heart  to  Him  in  private  !  For  this  lone- 
ly fellowship  with  Jesus  may  be  had,  though  we  are 
surrounded  by  many  of  our  fellows.  Our  hearts 
and  our  desires  may  be  with  Him  though  we  are  in 
the  crowded  assembly,  or  in  the  busy  thoroughfare. 
There  is  a  hiding  with  Christ,  when  the  outward  ap- 
pearance is  that  of  activity  and  business,  and  coa- 
cern  about  others.  Paul  was  hiding  with  him  in 
the  shipwreck,  when  he  was  giving  orders  and  di- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I7I 

rections  to  the  crew  —  changed  from  prisoner  to 
captain,  though  he  appeared  to  be  bound.  And 
many  a  semion  which  appears  to  engage  all  the 
preacher's  thoughts,  is  preached,  while  the  heart  is 
leaning  up  toward  Christ,  and  breathing  after  His 
blessing. 

Fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus  is  a  condition  of 
oneness  with  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  consequently 
it  is  marked  with  the  light  of  the  Lord.  We  have 
confidence  that  He  heareth  us,  and  if  we  ask  any- 
thing of  Him,  we  know  that  we  have  that  which  we 
ask  of  Him.  "  We  walk  in  the  light,  as  He  is  in 
the  light,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleansth  us 
from  all  sin."  Such  do  not  walk  in  darkness,  but 
have  the  light  of  life ;  they  have  no  wretchedness, 
for  Jesus  has  delivered  them  ;  and  no  condemna- 
tion, because  they  "  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit." 

Such  persons  really  pray.  They  may  not  use  as 
many  words  as  some ;  they  may  be  very  far  from 
fluency  in  their  expressions  ;  but  God  hears  them, 
and  answers  in  whatsoever  they  ask.  Prayer  is 
not  so  much  in  the  words  as  in  the  condition  of 
the  soul.  Eloquence  of  expression  and  mention 
of  wants  fail  when  the  will  is  not  subject  to  God, 
or  when  there  is  no  faith.  Our  will  laid  at  Jesus' 
feet,  and  our  hearts  simply  taking  Him  at  His  word, 
the  poorest  expressions  of  our  slow  speech  become 
mighty  in  prevalence  with  God.     But  such  a  sub- 


172  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

jection  of  our  whole  being  to  God  only  is  agreea- 
ble to  fellowship. 

Beloved  soul,  do  not  think  that  it  is  just  going 
into  a  room  and  attentively  reading  a  chapter,  and 
as  attentively  mentioning  your  wants.  Far  from  it. 
First  of  all,  you  must  be  willing  to  receive  answer 
from  Jesus  in  His  own  way,  to  have  Him  take  His 
own  course  with  you,  and  to  send  you  "  whither- 
soever" He  will.  You  must  be  willing  that  He 
should  bring  you  to  this  state  of  soul  in  the  day 
of  His  power.  Then  you  may  have  precious 
fellowship  with  Christ.  Your  will  laid  down,  His 
will  shall  be  sweeter  than  honey  to  your  taste  ;  your 
plans  all  given  up.  His  wisdom  shall  be  yours. 
Yes,  he  will  guide  you  with  His  eye,  and  you  shall 
be  confident  of  this ;  though  you  be  walking  in 
usual  paths,  or  taken  out  of  them  in  ways  you  know 
not,  or  though  you  seem  to  be  carried  of  the  Spirit 
to  a  distance  from  all  you  have  ever  known. 

Beloved,  is  it  not  delightful,  above  all  things  on 
earth,  to  see  a  heart  alone  with  Jesus,  asking  Him 
what  He  can  do  for  it?  And  what  shall  we  suppose 
the  answer  to  be  ?  The  power  of  Jesus,  the  mean- 
ing of  Jesus'  last  sentence  on  the  cross,  '*  It  is  fin- 
ished," including,  as  it  must,  the  purchase  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  willingness  of  the  heavenly  I.amb 
to  fill  his  hungering  and  thirsting  soul  with  right- 
eousness —  all  these,  and  everything  we  know  about 
Jesus,  proclaim  that  such  a  soul  shall  be  very  rich 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  1 73 

in  all  the  things  of  His  storehouse.  Pardon,  peace, 
hoHness,  love,  and  the  word  of  God  shall  dwell  in 
him  "  richly  in  all  wisdom."  He  shall  be  ''  filled 
with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  God." 

Let  us  be  among  that  number.  Do  not  let  our 
mortality,  our  humanity,  our  natural  condition  as 
sinners,  hinder  us  from  asking  what  He  can  do  for 
us.  The  answer  will  bring  immortality,  will  shine 
with  the  light  of  Christ  Himself  in  our  humanity, 
and  will  prove  His  almighty  power  to  make  us  His 
ov/n  representatives  in  this  world ;  flesh  of  His 
flesh,  and  bone  of  His  bone ;  the  several  parts  of 
His  body,  shining  with  the  brightness,  the  spiritual 
life,  the  moral  beauty  of  our  living  Head. 

If  we  may  have  such  fellowship  with  Him  by 
whom  we  can  do  all  things,  why  should  not  our  very 
life  be  a  doxology  ?  It  will  be,  beloved,  and  He 
shall  approve  His  own  workmanship.  Praise  Him, 
]:)raise  the  Holy  Trinity,  whose  wondrous  grace  con- 
founds the  powers  of  darkness,  and  promises  to 
make  earth  happier  than  Eden. 

2.  The  chief  of  all  difficulties  in  the  hearts  of  true 
Christians  is  Unbelief  The  Lord,  with  gracious 
continuance,  has  been  inviting,  ''  Come  and  take," 
"  Drink  abundantly  ; "  but  what  myriads  are  saying 
of  this  rest  of  faith,  "It  is  not  for  me."  Though 
they  have  desired  it  long,  though  they  have  conse- 
crated   everything,    though    often,   both    by    The 


174  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Living  Word,  and  by  dear  souls  already  at  rest, 
they  have  been  encouraged  to  throw  themselves 
upon  the  ocean  of  infinite  love,  they  still  continue 
to  cry  out  "  it  is  not  for  me."  We  have  an  answer 
to  their  unbelief —  and  may  the  gracious  Lord  use 
it  as  a  specific  for  some  longing  soul. 

IT   MAY    BE   YOURS. 

The  "  God  of  Peace  "  will  do  great  things  for 
His  chosen.  This  name  proclaims  it,  therefore  the 
apostle  loved  the  use  of  it  in  such  a  connection. 
The  "  God  of  peace  be  with  you  all."  (Rom.  xv. 
2f2i-)  ''''The  God  of  peace  shall  bruise  Satan  under 
your  feet  shortly."  (Rom.  xvi.  20.)  "The  very 
God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly."  (i  Thess.  v. 
23.)  The  name  expresses  a  gracious  work  of  God, 
wherein  He  has  changed  our  condition,  and  drawn 
our  willing  souls  to  His  throne.  It  therefore  in- 
cludes everything  that  can  embolden  us  to  seek  the 
"  best  gifts,"  to  expect  the  largest  blessings. 

Some  of  the  "exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises"  are  really  startling  to  those  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  go  to  the  throne  with  a  pil- 
grim's pack.  Their  load  has  been  as  galling  as  the 
Jewish  ceremonial.  It  was  more  than  they  could 
bear.  They  cut  the  promises  down  by  interpreta- 
tions. We  are  encouraged  to  enlarge  upon  the 
promises  rather  than  cut  them  down,  by  this  holy 
name  —  "The  God  of  peace!"     It  signifies  that 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 75 

God  is  our  Father,  that  we  are  reconciled  to  God, 
that  we  are  admitted  to  sonship,  that  He  will  fulfil 
every  legitimate  desire  of  our  being. 

None  will  doubt  that  it  is  a  legitimate  desire  — 
to  be,  in  our  measure,  fully  conformed  to  His  life, 
to  be  perfect,  to  fulfil  the  end  of  our  creation.  This 
His  Holy  Name  is  our  heavenly  warrant,  therefore, 
for  our  expectation  of  the  fulfilment  of  His  every 
promise.  The  ''  God  of  peace"  expects  us  to  take 
the  peace,  the  full  peace  which  Himself  hath  given 
at  the  cost  of  His  greatest  gift.  Since  He  is  our 
"  God  of  peace,"  we  have  every  reason  to  expect  a 
result,  in  His  gracious  dealings  with  us,  commen- 
surate with  the  statement  of  this  promise,  with  the 
sacred  meaning  of  the  word  peace,  and  with  the 
most  extensive  needs  of  our  renewed  nature.  Be- 
loved, in  prayer  we  should  be  bold.  Ask  Him  not 
for  the  inside  limit  of  His  grace,  but  its  utmost. 

"  Thou  art  coming  to  a  King, 

Large  petitions  with  thee  bring." 

• 

"The  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the 
dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep,  through  the  Blood  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant, make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do 
His  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well  pleasing 
in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ ;  to  whom  be 
glory  forever  and  ever.    Amen."  (Heb.  xiii.  20,  21.) 

There,  dear  child  of  God,  is  your  heavenly  war- 


176  THE   REST   OF    FAITH. 

rant.  This  promise  covers  all  your  need.  Here  is 
the  whole  story.  It  expresses  just  the  thing  you 
want  —  to  be,  in  your  measure^  "perfect  in  every 
good  work  to  do  His  will."  It  tells  you  how  only 
it  can  be  done,  Himself  "working  in  you  that  which 
is  well-pleasing  in  His  sight."  Blessed  be  His 
name,  we  are  not  ignorant  of  that  inworking  power ; 
the  only  difficulty  with  you,  beloved,  being  that  you 
have  hitherto  limited  the  promises,  and  hence  you 
have  limited  the  praise  of  "  Him  who  is  able  to  do 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or 
think,  according  to  the  Power  that  worketh  in  us." 
And  this  gracious  fact  of  His  inworking  is  based 
upon  the  chosen  foundation  of  our  salvation,  "  the 
Blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant." 

Do  you  not  see,  precious  soul,  how  this  promise 
belongs  to  you  ?  It  is  yours  as  much  as  if  there 
were  not  another  soul  on  earth  to  claim  the  bless- 
ing. Shall  not  this,  then,  stop  the  mouth  of  unbe- 
lief which  has  hitherto  said  :  "  The  precious  expe- 
rience is  for  those  who  -have  more  grace,"  "  I  am 
too  vile,"  "I  am  not  rightly  surrounded  for  the  en- 
joyment of  it."  It  is  your  blessedness,  that  in  ful- 
filling to  you  the  promises  of  His  "  everlasting  cov- 
enant," God  does  not  have  to  kill  off  a  few  of  your 
friends,  or  to  break  down  your  business  (if  it  be  a 
proper  one),  or  to  make  an  angel  of  you.  He  will 
give  you  the  precious  experience  of  which  I  write, 
and  save  you  from  your  sins,  in  the  highest  or  low- 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  I77 

est  position  you  may  occupy.  In  the  furnace,  in 
the  lion's  den,  in  the  caves  of  the  earth,  being 
''destitute,  afflicted,  tormented,"  in  a  family  of 
children,  yes,  even  "  though  your  house  be  not  so 
Avith  God  "  as  David  had  to  say ;  anywhere,  every- 
where, the  Lord  can,  and  will  give  you  "  a  heaven 
below."  But  of  course  He  cannot  do  it  without 
your  faith.  You  must  simply  rely  upon  the  won- 
derful statements  of  His  "  exceeding  great  and  pre- 
cious promises,"  and  believe  that  He  can,  that  He 
will,  that  He  does  for  you,  everything  that  He  has 
thus  engaged  to  do.  Before  you  can  so  believe, 
you  must  have  everything  of  your  former  possessions 
marked,  by  an  entire  consecration,  — "  The  Lord's 
alojiey  For  how  can  you  believe  when  you  desire 
anything  out  of  God's  order? 

Now,  my  brother,  or  sister,  old  or  young,  sick  or 
well,  crippled  or  straight,  successful  in  business  or 
broken  down,  married  or  single,  rich  or  poor, 
learned  or  ignorant,  widowed  and  desolate  or  hav- 
ing an  husband,  favored  or  despised — behold  the 
grace  !  You  may  be  filled  with  the  Spirit.  I  do 
exhort  you,  singly  and  together,  to  take  Jesus  as 
your  FULL  and  present  Saviour.  "  Be  not  filled 
with  wine,  wherein  is  excess,  but  be  filled  with  the 
Spirit."  Cast  out  the  wine,  the  world,  the  flesh ; 
let  the  Almighty  Spirit  in.  *'  If  any  man  hear  my 
voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and 
Id 


178  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

will  sup  with  him,  jind  he  A^ith  Me."     This  promise 
was  sent  to  the  members  of  a  lukewarm  church. 

You  that  have  hitherto  unworthily  given  the 
Saviour  but  a  part,  have  had  a  secret  idolatry,  have 
even  denied  Him  —  come  now  and  be  blessed, 
come  now  and  sup  with  Him ;  now  have  your 
"fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with  His  Son 
Jesus  Christ."  God  has  declared  His  purpose  and 
His  promise  thsit  jou  should  be  holy,  having  all 
grace,  living  above  the  world  and  near  to  Himself. 
Beloved,  it  is,  as  His  word  says,  "  great  peace  ! " 
See  His  description  of  it :  "  Be  careful  for  nothing  ; 
but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication  with 
thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto 
God.  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all 
understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds 
through  Christ  Jesus."  (Phil.  iv.  6,  7.)  Such  a 
peace  may  be  yours.  Every  provision  is  made  for 
it,  every  promise  is  given  to  encourage  the  expecta- 
tion of  it ;  He  stands  at  your  door  with  it.  "  He 
is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto 
God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercession for  them."  (Heb.  vii.  25.)  "I  am  the 
Door  ;  by  me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved, 
and  shall  go  in  and  out,  2iY\6.  find  pasture.''  "I  am 
come  that  they  might  have  life,  and  that  they  might 
have  it  more  abundantly."     (John  x.  9,  10.) 

"What  more  can  He  say  than  to  you  He  hath  said. 
Who  unto  the  Saviour  for  refuge  have  fled  ?  " 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 79 

3.  There  is  another  trouble  which  keeps  many 
out  of  comfort  and  out  of  ''  this  grace  wherein  we 
stand."  It  is  a  Seventh-of-Romans  difficulty,  and  a 
Galatian  snare,  which  in  our  journey  we  do  well  to 
keep  in  the  distance  by  simple  faith.  Paul  would 
never  have  cried,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am ! "  but 
for  this,  and  many  who  have  been  burning  lights  in 
the  Church  as  Payson  was,  would  have  shone  with 
greater  power,  as  indeed  the  lovely  Payson  himself 
in  his  confession  gives  us  room  to  see.  This 
trouble  goes  under  the  name  of 

LEGALITY. 

Legality  in  the  Christian  system  is  opposed  to 
spiritual  liberty.  The  one  is  a  condition  of  the 
most  enlarged  and  enlightened  pleasure,  the  other 
is  that  of  bondage  and  burdens.  Spiritual  liberty 
finds  its  all  in  Christ,  and  revolves  around  Him 
with  conscious  supports  of  His  influential  presence. 
Legality  very  strongly  professes  the  same,  but  is 
continually  looking  to  its  own  works  as  though  they 
were  the  complement  of  what  God  has  done. 
Hence  while  spiritual  liberty  is  in  the  enjoyment  of 
a  happiness  which  is  sometimes  indescribable,  le- 
gality is  frequently  under  burdens  resulting  from  its 
continuously  unfinished  business. 

Legality,  therefore,  sometimes  greatly  complains 
that  spiritual  liberty  enjoys  so  much  and  does  so 
little,  and  it  quite  loudly  proclaims  that  spiritual 


l8o  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

liberty  shall  not  enter  heaven  because  it  is  going 
there  on  flowery  beds  of  ease.  It  insists  that  the 
way  is  hard,  narrow,  thorough,  and  full  of  suffering 
to  the  flesh,  though  the  spirit  is  full  of  rejoicing. 
Its  own  singing,  however,  does  not  sound  like 
heaven ;  it  is  rather  a  mournful  exhortation  to 
others,  that  if  they  do  not  put  on  sackcloth  they 
will  most  miserably  perish.  It  becomes  a  sort  of 
spiritual  police  over  the  children  of  God,  to  watch 
their  frequent  failures,  to  remind  them  of  the  strict- 
ness of  God's  holy  law,  to  assure  them  that  but  few 
of  them  will  see  the  Lord  unless  they  do  dift'erently, 
to  goad  them  into  a  certain  way  of  living  in  which 
everything  shall  be  cut  according  to  its  own  pat- 
tern, and  yield  to  its  own  sectarian  spirit.  And 
hence  those  who  yield  to  it  come,  not  into  a  broad, 
spiritual  enjoyment,  nor  into  the  love  of  the  thir- 
teenth chapter  of  first  Corinthians,  but  simply  into 
legality.  As  it  is,  so  do  they  become  in  the  world, 
not  gospel  Christians,  but  legal  ones. 

Peter  fell  into  legality  when  he  was  to  be  blamed. 
Then,  instead  of  the  bold  and  daring  apostle,  he  be- 
came a  dissembler.  For  legality  makes  cowards 
of  the  brave.  Peter's  cowardice  carried  away  many 
besides,  and  even  Barnabas  was  chained  down  to 
Judaistic  ways.  Paul  himself  knew  well  what  it  was, 
for  he  had  been  there,  and  experienced  the  same 
folly.  When  these  holy  men  simply  held  the  hand 
of  Christ  and  walked  in  Him,  He  the  meanwhile 


THE   REST   OF   FAITH.  l8l 

working  in  them  and  around  them,  they  were  far 
from  all  alarm  from  the  very  gates  of  hell ;  much 
more  from  Judaistic  ways  :  but  when  they  went 
again  to  the  commandment  and  tried  to  fulfil  it  by 
great  faithfulness  and  outward  observances,  they 
cried  out  from  their  burdens.  Sin,  which  had  been 
dead,  revived,  and  they  died. 

The  testimony  of  legahty  is  that  of  burdens.  The 
work,  left  to  Jesus,  is  truly  delightful,  but  taken 
upon  ourselves  is  a  burden  which  we  nor  our  fathers 
were  able  to  bear.  But  this  testimony  has  various 
shades.  Now  it  will  be  recounting  its  good  deeds ; 
how  it  lives  a  much  better  life  than  many  Christians, 
how  much  it  suffers  for  Jesus'  sake,  how  particular 
it  is  about  the  jots  and  tittles  of  the  law,  how  it 
hates  such  and  such  appearances  on  the  saints,  how 
it  is  free  to  submit  its  doings  to  any  inspection,  and 
therefore  how  complacent  God  must  be  with  it,  and 
how  wide  open  the  door  must  be  for  it  into  glory. 
"And  oh ! "  it  says,  "  if  I  can  only  live  so  till  the 
last  moment,  heaven  will  be  mine." 

But  soon  its  testimony  is  changed,  and  it  groans  in 
conscious  suffering  of  its  own  shortcomings.  It  has 
been  fearful  of  flesh  and  blood,  it  has  not  had  the 
courage  for  the  performance  of  some  difficult  duty, 
it  has  not  been  entirely  dead  to  the  opinions  of  the 
mass  of  those  who  call  themselves  (many  of  them 
truly  are)  Christians,  it  has  been  led  into  eating 
something  it  should  never  have  touched  —  some  inv-^ 


1 82  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

ported  grapes,  or  some  expensive  food,  or  it  has 
been  sitting  at  some  person's  table  without  at  once 
breaking  out  into  singing  though  the  friends  were 
not  accustomed  to  it,  nor  has  it  loaded  itself  with 
burdens  in  doing  duties,  which  it  has  done  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  the  duty  pleasant.  The  duties, 
indeed,  are  done,  but  they  have  been  done  too 
easily.  It  would  feel  far  better  if  they  had  been 
done  with  more  hardships  to  the  flesh.  And  under 
the  power  of  such  burdens  as  these  it  is  legality  which 
cries  out  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  " 

It  has  been  trying  all  the  time  to  do  right,  but 
has  done  wrong.  •  Its  difficulty  has  been  that  it  tried 
too  much.  It  has  left  off  to  let  Christ  lead  it.  It 
has  run  unsent.  It  has  cut  its  dress  by  its  own 
pattern,  and  has  not  had  respect  to  the  colors,  and 
tastes,  and  multitudes  which  Christ  Himself  has 
created,  and  which  He  Himself  will  crown  with  His 
own  approval,  if  they  who  have  possessed  them 
shall  have  walked  with  Him  in  white.  It  has  been 
unmindful  of  the  easy  yoke  and  light  burden  of 
Christ,  in  making  things  hard  to  do  which  Jesus 
meant  should  be  precious  privileges. 

There  is  another  phase  of  legality.  In  a  meet- 
ing held  for  the  promotion  of  holiness  some  months 
since  we  noticed  a  young  man,  without  apparent 
feeling  during  most  of  the  meeting.  The  emotions 
of  some  of  the  people  began  to  rise  into  demonstra- 


THE    REST   OF   FAITH.  1 83 

tions  of  warmth,  when  suddenly  this  young  man  fell 
from  his  seat  upon  the  floor.  Where  this  is  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  we  have  no  objections  to 
offer,  but  would  encourage  everything  that  is  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  After  the  meeting  we  asked  the 
young  man  what  were  his  experiences.  But  how 
were  we  astonished,  as  he  appeared  perfectly  calm, 
and  as  with  carelessness  rather  than  with  emotion 
he  said,  "  Oh  I  just  did  it  to  mortify  the  flesh." 
That  was  the  first  case  we  had  heard  of  such  a  way 
of  mortifying  the  flesh.  We  have  heard  of  some 
since.  But  it  occurs  to  us  that  if  such  truly  desire 
to  mortify  the  flesh,  it  would  be  far  better  to  fall 
down  in  the  street,  or  in  some  other  place,  than 
one  in  which  every  person  present  maybe  supposed 
to  have  a  kindly  sympathy.  But  that  is  one  of  the 
worst  forms  of  legality.  It  is  doing  something  for 
Jesus'  sake  which  Jesus  does  not  want  any  to  do. 
They  say  that  Satan  tells  them  they  are  afraid  to  fall 
down  on  the  floor,  and  so  they  fall  down  to  baffle 
Satan.  But  if  that  be  Satan  (may  it  not  be,  is  it  not 
simply  a  morbidity  of  conscience?)  we  certainly 
should  have  another  way  of  meeting  the  ques- 
tion. We  should  answer  —  yes,  we  are  afraid  and. 
ashamed  to  do  anything  which,  if  the  whole  com- 
pany should  do  at  the  same  time,  would  simply 
demonstrate  an  unmeaning  service,  and  an  amal- 
gamation of  useless  and  foolish  improprieties. 
"  Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order." 


184  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

We  do  thoroughly  beUeve  in  being  counted  a 
fool  for  Christ's  sake  when  men  will  so  call  us  for 
our  intelligent  action.  But  we  do  also  believe  that 
our  utmost  intelHgence  is  to  be  used  in  guarding  us 
from  what  really  has  no  meaning  in  it.  .  The  truth 
of  the  gospel  is  foolishness,  and  prayer  is  foolish- 
ness to  the  world,  and  strict  holy  living  is  the  same 
to  those  who  live  in  sin,  and  the  full  proclamation 
of  these  will  bring  a  mortification  of  the  flesh  ;  but 
an  unintelligent  falling,  to  baffle  the  most  intelligent 
power  of  Satan,  will  and  can  only  bring  a  legal  sat- 
isfaction, which  a  little  intelligent  searching  would 
do  away  with. 

We  believe  in  great  thoroughness  of  religious  liv- 
ing, in  the  most  scrupulous  integrity  and  honesty, 
and  distance  from  the  world  ;  but  also  in  the  most 
intelligent  submission  to  Christ  as  the  source  of  all 
wisdom  and  of  all  wise  action. 

The  cure  of  legality  is  in  the  simplest  faith  in 
Jesus.  He  has  paid  our  debt.  He  at  present 
saves.  Our  duties  do  not  save  us.  The  way  in 
which  Jesus  saves  is  by  working  within  us  all  right- 
eousness. It  is  a  sovereign's  work.  He  makes  us 
pure  by  dwelling  within  us.  When  faith  appre- 
hends this  fact,  and  simply  leans  on  Jesus  to  do  the 
work,  legality  is  cured.  But  when  the  soul,  leav- 
ing this  simplicity,  tries,  and  tries,  and  tries  again 
to  work  for  God's  favor,  the  disease  and  its  con- 
sequent   wretchedness    come    on,     and    it    cries, 


THE    REST   OK    FAITH.  1 85 

"  Wretched  man  that  I  am."  Let  Jesus  rule  ! 
Away  with  all  endeavors  after  our  own  v/orking, 
with  all  burdening  ourselves  with  other  men's  sins, 
and  with  judgments  upon  the  saints.  Perfection  in 
Christ  is  Christ  in  us,  the  hope  of  glory. 

"Till  to  Jesus'  work  you  cling 
By  a  simple  faith, 
Doing  is  a  deadly  thing. 
Doing  ends  in  death. 

"Cast  your  deadly  doing  down, 
Down  at  Jesus'  feet, 
Stand  in  Him,  in  Him  alone. 
Gloriously  complete." 

CONSIDER,    BELOVED,    THE     HEAVENLY    HUSBAND. 

Who  and  what  are  ours,  and  what  for  ?  Here 
Christian,  is  the  unfolding  of  bliss.  Make  sure 
answer  to  this  question,  and  no  man  may  ever  call 
you  poor.  Neither  will  you  say  you  are  poor, 
neither  vAW  you  doubt  nor  be  dismayed.  Christ  is 
ours.  Let  each  one  walk  in  the  joy  of  this  truth 
(for  it  is  not  true  collectively  if  it  be  not  true  in- 
dividually) :  "  Christ  is  mine.^^  How  rich  we  are  ! 
PYiendship  with  kings  does  not  always  bring  riches. 
The  king  may  love  you  as  a  poor  subject,  or  as  a 
faithful  underling,  and  you  may  remain  always  such. 
Not  so  with  Jesus.  "  Henceforth  I  call  you  not 
servants  —  but  I  have  called  you  friends."  Jesus 
has  no  underlings.  They  do  not  cry  out  in  the 
streets  after  Him  as  by  magic  of  personal  presence 


1 86  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

and  royal  pomp,  "Long  live  the  king;"  but  His 
meek  presence  charms  the  humble,  and  the  little 
children  in  heart,  and  they  lay  their  all  at  His  feet, 
and  raise  their  hallelujahs,  though  there  may  be 
many  who  despise.  The  despisers  wonder  and 
perish.     Jesus  raises  these  little  ones  into  friends. 

There  is,  however,  more  than  this  to  be  included 
under  the  expression,  "  Christ  is  miner  It  is  not 
the  "mine"  of  friendship  :  it  is  the  "mine"  of  mar- 
riage. There  is  no  truth  more  clearly  revealed  than 
that  Jesus  is  our  heavenly  Husband,  and  we  are  His 
bride.  It  cannot  be  so  in  the  aggregate  but  by  the 
mystical  union  of  single  believers.  "  Thou  shalt 
call  me  Ishi  (my  husband),  and  shalt  call  me  no 
more  "  BaaU"  (My  Lord).  And  here  is  our  blessed- 
ness in  reading  the  precious  prophecies  of  good  to 
Zion.  They  belong  to  believers.  The  aggregation 
of  believers  shall  all  together  enjoy  them  when  they 
have  as  individuals  embraced  them.  But  this  mat- 
ter of  our  heavenly  Husband  has  its  individual  ap- 
plication in  the  New  Testament.  "Ye  are  become 
dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye 
should  be  married  to  another,  even  to  Him  Wlw  is 
raised  from  the  dead." 

The  wife  is  no  slave.  The  true  wife  of  a  good 
husband,  as  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh, 
is  inexpressibly  dear  unto  him.  He  has  taken  her 
to  be  one  with  him,  and  she  is  encouraged  in  the 
full  exercise  of  the  marriage  spirit.     It  is  hers  to 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  187 

cherish  the  love  by  which  she  has  come  into  pos- 
session of  her  husband's  name,  his  goods,  his  Ufe, 
his  associations.     Into  possession  under  him. 

Let  the  name  Husband  be  appHed  to  the  Lord 
Jesus.  We  are  at  once  introduced  to  scenes  of 
blessedness  of  which  the  old  prophets  told.  "  As  it 
is  written,  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him. 
But  God  hath  revealed  thein  unto  us  by  His  Spirit." 
This  union  is  not  a  fleshly  union  as  though  we  knew 
Christ  after  the  flesh,  and  received  honors  for  such 
a  royal  relation.  It  is  sweeter,  deeper,  more  exten- 
sive than  any  union  of  the  flesh  can  be.  With  our 
Jesus  we  go  far  from  the  flesh,  far  from  the  way  of 
the  world,  into  the  regions  of  spiritual  relationship, 
of  exalted  intimacy  with  Him  WTio  is  unseen  by 
mortal  eyes.  But  not  unreal ;  nothing  more  real, 
we  may  rather  say  nothing  so  real,  for  our  Jesus  is 
the  Maker  and  Former  of  all  realities.  We  feel 
nothing  so  quickly  as  His  smile,  nothing  so  fully  as 
the  turning  away  of  His  dear  face. 

The  soul  that  is  married  to  Jesus  is  well  married. 
There  can  be  no  question  upon  the  good  or  ill  favor 
of  his  future  life.  For  in  this  case  the  Husband 
never  grows  cold,  He  never  leaves  His  home  to 
seek  among  others  an  opposite  craving.  His  desire 
is  to  be  with  His  chosen,  and  have  His  chosen  near 
to  Himself.     And  therefore  He  has  the  most  nat- 


1 88  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

ural  desire  to  possess  the  unrivalled  place  in  the 
heart  of  His  beloved.  He  knows  full  well  that  her 
happiness  is  in  her  deepest  simplicity  of  love  and 
submission  to  His  every  wish.  For  all  His  wishes 
are  good  and  only  good.  His  will  is  the  supreme 
law  of  her  enjoyment. 

Believers  in  Jesus,  His  will  is  your  highest  law  of 
good.  Keep  close  to  your  heavenly  Husband,  and 
you  will  always  be  rich  and  happy,  and  in  the  sweet- 
est fellowships  of  earth  and  heaven.  What  mistakes 
they  make  who  profess  attachment  to  the  Lord,  yet 
mingle  carelessly  with  a  godless  and  time-serving 
world;  whose  closets  are  but  seldom  sought,  and 
when  found  are  not  places  of  real  heart-prayer,  but 
only  duty-places,  and  God's  Word  a  duty-book.  But 
that  is  a  very  hard  position.  When  the  law  of  life 
for  a  bride  is  a  law  of  duties  to  be  done,  her  spirit  is 
slavish,  and  her  experience  wretched.  Worldly  pro- 
fessors are  just  of  that  class.  They  are  like  wives, 
who  expect  to  enjoy  all  the  love  of  their  husbands 
when  they  do  nothing  to  show  that  they  have  the 
spirit  of  true  liberty.  But  what  a  wife,  whose  heart 
does  not  overflow  with  love  !  How  hard  her  lot ! 
What  a  Christian,  whose  life  is  taken  up  with  doing 
things  which  "  a  task  and  burden  prove." 

Now  God's  Word  says  "all  things  are  yours;" 
but  such  Christians  cannot  understand  any  more 
than  the  theory.  They  see  it  in  the  Word  of  God, 
but  they  do  not  see  that  they  are  the  persons  com- 


,  THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  189 

prehended  in  the  word  "yours."  "It  is  for  those 
who  have  more  grace  than  they."  Suppose  a  wife 
should  say  the  same.  The  husband  says  to  her, 
"All  things  are  yours,  and  I  am  yours."  But  bowed 
down  by  a  slavish  spirit,  she  says,  "  Not  for  me." 
She  disbelieves  his  word.  Her  happiness  will  go  for 
nothing.  No  wonder  that  a  Christian  who  is  not 
entirely  devoted  to  Christ  should  be  out  with  him- 
self, out  with  the  world,  and  not  at  one  with  the 
Lord  Jesus.  We  are  even  told  that  there  are  many 
such  —  and  now  and  then,  in  some  places,  such  as 
the  Fulton-street  prayer-meeting,  quite  frequently 
you  hear  those  who  have  long  professed  the  Lord 
Jesus  doubting  their  conversion,  or  feeling  most 
\vretched  from  habits  of  sin  and  evil  which  they 
might  naturally  expect  the  grace  of  God  to  cure. 
They  are  living  in  the  seventh  of  Romans. 

"  'Tis  a  point  they  long  to  know. 
Oft  it  causes  anxious  thought,  — 
Do  they  love  the  Lord  or  no. 
Are  they  His  or  are  they  not  ?  " 

Strange  language  for  the  bride  to  use  of  her  hus- 
band !  If  the  heavenly  Husband  should  speak  so 
of  His  bride,  it  would  seal  her  perdition.  It  is  ex- 
ceeding great  unhappiness,  when,  while  He  remains 
true,  she  cries  for  the  faultiness  of  her  love. 

Alas !  that  there  should  be  a  single  soul  of  such 
when  Jesus  lives  to  bless  !  We  do  not  refer  now 
to  such  as  the  poet  Cowper,  who  was  diseased,  nor 


190  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

to  any  poor  souls  so  afflicted.  They  should  not  be 
a  rule  unto  the  Church,  surely.  But  outside  of  the 
number  of  such  afflicted  ones,  why  should  there  be 
an  uncomfortable  soul,  under  the  promises  of  the 
Lord?  Only  through  unbelief — through  keeping 
away  from  Christ. 

Now  the  true  wife  has  a  way  of  enjoying  her 
husband's  name,  his  position,  his  possessions,  his 
home,  and  his  influence.  And  her  way  of  so  enjoy- 
ing herself  forms  a  proper  directory  for  every 
Christian  in  the  enjoyment  of  our  relation  with  the 
Lord  Jesus.  She  casts  all  her  living  into  her  hus- 
band's life.  She  sinks  everything  she  has  into  his 
name ;  his  titles  cover  her  all.  About  her  name 
she  has  no  trouble ;  she  cares  not  for  her  own  any 
more,  but  only  for  his  ;  it  is  now  a  disappointment 
for  her  to  be  called  by  her  former  name,  a  joy  to  be 
called  by  his.  She  desires  it  published  everywhere 
that  she  is  called  by  his  name.  And  so  of  the  rest 
—  what  has  she  but  his  name  covers  it  all.  As  to 
her  actions,  it  is  now  her  chief  study  how  she  may 
please  her  husband,  in  his  absence,  in  his  presence ; 
her  life,  her  time  is  devoted.  This  is  her  mode  of 
enjoyment. 

Should  it  be  otherwise  with  the  Christian  ?  Nay, 
the  same.  Our  name  is  lost  in  that  of  our  adora- 
ble Lord ;  our  joy  that  it  is  so,  our  anxiety  that  it 
may  be  published  everywhere,  that  we  are  forever 
to  be  called  by  His  name.   And  what  else  for  Him  ? 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  I9I 

When  the  name  has  gone  can  we  keep  anything 
back  ?  Nay,  to  our  Jesus  everything  goes  with  our 
full  souls.  Everything  !  Ah,  beloved,  He  married 
a  very  unprofitable  bride.  Is  it  not  an  unspeakable 
joy  to  us  that  our  Jesus  took  us  from  the  lowest  pit, 
and  made  us  all  that  we  are  by  His  own  agonies  ? 
We  render  Him  His  own. 

Now  ye  dearly  beloved  members  of  your  heavenly 
Husband's  bride,  let  there  be  no  legality,  no  duty- 
service.  And  since  He  hath  prepared  such  a  puri- 
fication as  Esther  never  knew,  let  us  who  have  this 
hope  on  Him  purify  ourselves  as  He  is  pure.  In 
Him.  That  is  our  only  purification,  and  it  is  com- 
plete. He  that  is  washed  in  this  fountain,  and 
possessed  by  this  Jesus,  this  heavenly  Husband, 
though  he  had  been  possessed  with  devils  before,  is 
clean  every  whit.  He  has  not  need  any  more  to  be 
looking  at  his  filthiness,  being  assured  if  he  look 
unto  his  Lord  the  filthiness  will  be  no  more. 

Is  not  the  question  answered.  Who  and  what  are 
ours,  and  what  for?  Jesus  is  ours  sweetly,  fully, 
everlastingly,  and  "with  Him  all  things,"  for  our 
present  purity,  for  the  fulness  of  our  joy,  for  His 
own  glory,  and  for  eternity. 

ONLY   BELIEVE. 

Dear  ones  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  if  the  stones  are 
not  all  out  of  the  way,  we  at  least  have  the  princi- 


192  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

pie  by  which  all  may  be  removed.     It  is  —  how 
shall  we  speak  it  without  a  shout  of  triumph  ?  — 

ONLY  JESUS. 
HALLELUJAH  TO   THE  LAMB. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH, 


193 


CHAPTER  IV. 


CONCLUSIONS. 


We  now  have  some  things  for  our  dear  Christian 
reader,  which  may  the  precious  Holy  Ghost  use  for 
an  appHcation,  and  for  a  comfort,  and  for  his  growth 
in  grace  !  We  deal  in  plain  words,  but  they  come 
from  the  cross,  and  may  the  sweetness  of  their  liv- 
ing source  be  in  them  !  We  would  write  with  great 
earnestness  on  a  theme  so  vital ;  let  the  dear  reader 
hide  himself  in  Jesus  while  we  write.. 

Firsts  We  put  a  question  to  you  who  have  per- 
haps stumbled  at  our  doctrine,  and  now,  even 
though  you  wish  the  experience,  yet  stand  as  critics 
of  our  words. 

DO   YOU    live    as    you    CAN? 

There  are  those  belonging  to  the  Christian  pro- 
fession who  make  bold  to  say  that  they  are  not  liv- 
ing up  to  their  privileges.  If  so,  they  are  certainly 
throwing  away  the  most  valuable  possessions  which 
have  ever  been  in  their  reach.  But  these  are  the 
peculiar  possessions  which  were  purchased  for  them 
by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  They  are,  there- 
fore, so  dear  to  the  eternal  Father  that  they  cannot 

13 


194  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

be  thrown  away  with  impunity.  Trampling  on  the 
blood  of  the  covenant  need  be  nothing  more  than 
treating  it  lightly.  Here  are  some  souls,  then,  who 
lightly  say  that  they  are  not  living  as  it  is  their 
privilege  to  live.  They  seem  to  feel  very  little 
concern  upon  the  subject. 

It  concerns  God,  for  it  was  His  fore-ordination 
that  His  people  "  should  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  Him  in  love,"  *'  in  all  simplicity  and  godly 
sincerity."  He  gave  His  Son  to  die  for  them  to 
this  end  in  their  lives.  It  concerns  Jesus,  for  He  is 
now  living  to  intercede  for  them,  and  to  see  of  the 
travail  of  His  soul  in  them,  that  He  may  be  satis- 
fied after  His  dreadful  sufferings.  He  is  looking 
for  the  fruit  of  His  purchased,  promised,  sent,  and 
descending  Spirit  in  them.  It  concerns  the  angels, 
for  they  are  most  interested  spectators  in  the  things 
of  our  lower  world,  as  regards  the  salvation  of 
Jesus,  and  it  must  move  them  to  the  depths  of 
their  being  to  see  souls  thus  neglecting  Christ,  and 
treating  His  blood  as  water  spilled  upon  the 
ground.  Yet  these  say  it  lightly  !  They  complain 
of  a  certain  class  whom  they  call  ^'■perfectionists  ;  " 
they  smile  at  their  doctrines,  which,  however,  they 
seek  not  to  imderstand  ;  and  they  care  not  that  in 
that  word  they  have  fixed  a  stigma  upon  souls  who 
are  in  closest  sympathy  with  the  word,  and  work, 
and  ways  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  yet  they  say 
freely  that  they  do  not  live  up  to  their  privileges. 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  1 95 

Of  course,  they  do  not  mean  that  it  is  impossible 
for  them  to  live  up  to  their  privileges.  For  privi- 
lege is  their  passport.  It  is  theirs  freely  to  do  or  to 
enjoy. 

When  a  certain  course  ordained  of  God,  prepared 
by  Him,  proclaimed  with  all  provisions  for  them- 
selves in  it,  is  made  their  privilege,  all  disability  is 
removed.  They  can  take  that  course  and  live  that 
life,  and  they  certainly  are  responsible  for  it.  It 
will  not  do  certainly  for  such  to  be  dying-thief 
Christians  —  that  is,  to  leave  their  peace  with  God 
to  be  made  at  the  last  moment !  Let  such  take  no 
encouragement  from  the  case  of  the  dying  thief. 
It  does  not  belong  to  them ;  it  was  not  spoken  for 
such  as  they. 

The  dying  thief  repented  at  his  first  sermon-hear- 
ing, these  have  lived  through  whole  years  of  preach- 
ing ;  he  took  hold  of  Jesus  by  faith,  and  witnessed 
for  Him  before  His  enemies,  and  commenced  a 
holy  life  there  at  once,  but  these  are  living  content 
with  what  they  freely  allow  is  a  mean  apology  for  a 
holy  life,  far  below  what  it  is  their  privilege  to  en- 
joy. And  yet  they  fully  know  that  God  cannot 
look  upon  sin,  that  He  cannot  have  worldly  idlers 
about  Him,  and  that  He  must  destroy  everything 
about  them  which  defileth  or  maketh  a  lie,  before 
they  can  enter  heaven.  Ah  !  they  are  willing,  for  a 
little  worldly  comfort  here,  to  be  saved  so  as  by 
fire  there !     But  the  willingness  of  sinful  security 


196  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

and  ease  takes  even  this  hope  from  them ;  for  the 
things  to  be  burned  are  not  the  wilful,  willing,  sinful 
acts  of  a  godless  mind.  They  are  rather  mistakes  as 
to  the  connection  of  their  doctrines  with  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  so  if  any  shall  be  willing  to  be  saved 
by  fire  it  may  be  that  too  late  they  will  repent  in  a 
fire  that  shall  not  be  quenched.  Awful  thought ! 
But  whence  is  its  rise  ?  In  the  hearts  and  minds  of 
those  careless  professors  of  religion  whom  Satan  has 
duped  into  living  below  their  privileges  !  He  says 
they  shall  not  surely  die,  and  they  more  than  half 
believe  it.  Why,  they  believe  in  the  perseverance 
of  the  saints  !  Yes,  and  Satan  is  glad  to  have  them 
believe  in  that  doctrine.  They  say  that  "  there  is 
now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

But,  beloved  friends,  the  Scripture  does  not  say 
any  such  thing,  if  you  mean  by  it  that  when  a  per- 
son is  once  a  Christian  he  always  will  be  one,  do 
what  he  will.  Far  from  it.  The  Scriptures  of  God 
in  that  precious  verse  most  expressly  say  that  those 
to  whom  there  is  no  condemnation  are  the  ones 
**  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 
Not  every  one  who  has  the  name  of  Christian  per- 
severes, but  those  who  live  up  to  their  privileges 
in  following,  with  implicit  obedience,  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Freedom  from  condemnation  is  a  walking  in  the 
light,  a  coming  up  to  the  engagements  of  our  holy 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 97 

union  with  Christ  our  Lord,  and  walking  with  Him 
in  all  the  simplicity  of  a  faith  which  acknowledges 
Him  to  be  the  Divine  Workman  in  the  formation 
of  our  thoughts,  habits,  sympathies,  and  of  our  life 
itself.  These  are  they  who  persevere,  in  whom,  by 
their  own  free  will  and  choice,  the  Holy  Ghost 
works  a  continual  holy  living,  and  a  constant 
faith. 

Sometimes  these  careless  souls,  who  complain 
that  they  do  not  live  up  to  their  privileges,  in  order 
to  help  themselves  to  an  argument  against  those 
who  advocate  "holiness,"  ask  them,  "Well,  60 you 
live  up  to  your  privileges  ?  "  It  may  be  a  some- 
what awkward  question  to  answer.  Yet  all  we 
have  is  of  sovereign  grace,  and  we  answer  it  by 
that :  "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am." 
We  might  answer  that  our  reply  is  of  no  conse- 
quence, since  they  admit  that  it  is  their  privilege, 
that  they  are  at  liberty  to  live  up  to  theirs.  For 
sins  which  we  might  commit  certainly  will  not  save 
them  from  the  severe  penalty  of  those  who  know 
and  can  do  their  duty,  but  do  it  not.  That  is  the 
old  method  of  argument  in  our  unregeneracy. 

"Encompassed  by  a  throng, 
On  numbers  they  depend  ; 
They  think  so  many  can't  be  wrong. 
And  miss  a  happy  end." 

The  retort  of  the  question  upon  us,  whether  we 
live  up  to  our  privileges,  is  simply  the  argumentum 


198  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

ad  hojninem,  which  proves  nothing  in  the  case  for 
or  against  the  question  of  our  abihty  to  live  holy- 
lives.  Of  this  kind  of  argument  Abercrombie  says  : 
"  If  a  person  be  arguing  in  support  of  a  particular 
rule  of  conduct,  we  may  retort  upon  him  that  his 
own  conduct  in  certain  instances  was  in  direct  op- 
position to  it.  This  may  be  very  true  in  regard  to- 
the  individual,  but  can  have  no  influence  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  question."  If  we  do  not  live  up  to 
our  privileges,  the  fault  is  not  with  God,  and  does 
not  lie  in  the  fact  that  we  are  unable,  but  in  us,  or 
in  any  who  neglect  to  use  the  grace  which  God  has 
so  freely  given  them.  For  it  is  certainly  and  must 
ever  remain  true  that  we  can  live  up  to  our  privi- 
leges. God  has  established  the  privilege  that  we 
may  enjoy  it,  and  reap  the  fruits  of  it  and  that  we 
may  be  without  excuse  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

This  is,  therefore,  a  very  serious  matter.  It  will 
not  do  to  trust  to  your  election,  for  that  is  only  of 
those  who  are  active  in  all  righteousness.  Which- 
ever view  of  election  you  may  take,  it  gives  no  ex- 
cuse and  is  no  covering  up  of  sin.  Nor  will  it  do 
to  trust  to  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness, 
to  make  up  what  you  have  wilHngly  neglected,  of 
the  imparted  Holy  Ghost's  divine  and  saving  influ- 
ences. We  beheve,  from  the  careful  perusal  of  the 
Holy  Scripture,  that  many  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  calculate  upon  having  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  imputed  to  them  at  last,  will  be  miserably 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  1 99 

and  fatally  disappointed.  For  we  see  many  trusting 
to  it  who  lower  God's  standard  of  holiness  by  pro- 
claiming it  impossible.  But  surely  our  God  has  put 
forth  no  such  standard. 

It  is  very  truly  impossible  for  us  to  present  an 
absolute  righteousness  to  God,  but  we  certainly  can 
be  recipients  of  the  grace  of  God,  which  has  every 
benefit  of  the  death  of  Christ  included  in  its  fulness, 
and  we  can  and  must  be  responsible  for  the  neglect 
of  its  wonderful  provisions  for  our  saintly  character, 
Nor  will  it  do  to  renounce  the  name  of  saint  by  a 
strange  appearance  of  humility. 

It  is  understood  that  a  certain  clergyman,  in  a 
sacramental  address,  some  time  since,  said,  "  We 
do  not  come  to  this  table  as  saints."  One  of  his 
members  lifted  up  his  soul  to  the  Lord,  and  said  in 
his  heart  immediately  to  this  effect  :  ''  Yes,  Lord, 
Thou  knowest  that  /  come  to  this  table  as  a  saint 
washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  ^  and  accepted  in  Him, 
the  Beloved,  belonging  to  a  compa7iy  whom  Thou 
hast  called  saints^  and  to  whom  as  such  Thou  hast 
proclaimed  Thy  exceeding  great  love  in  Him." 

By  the  wiles  of  the  devil  only  could  such  a  con- 
dition have  been  brought  about  in  the  Church. 
Beloved,  we  must  live  up  to  our  privileges.  There 
is  no  word  in  the  Bible  which  assures  those  who 
live  below  their  standard  of  purchased  benefits.  If 
Jesus  has  purchased  our  rights,  and  we  do  not  live 
in  them,  we  must  be  responsible ;  and  it  may  easily 


200  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

be  that  many  who  confess  themselves  as  such  may 
be  sorry  m  eternity  for  their  sad  mistake. 

There  can  be  no  excuse  for  pride,  ambition,  cov- 
etousness,  carelessness,  vanity,  fashion-following, 
world-loving,  barren  Christians  before  the  judgment- 
seat.  God  will  be  justified  when  He  judges  us. 
Men  shall  then  own  that  they  had  plenty  of  oppor- 
tunity, plenty  of  Divine  assistance  held  out  to 
them  and  secured  by  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus, 
and  that  all  their  want  of  growth  and  want  of  blame- 
lessness  was  their  own  want  of  appropriating  by 
faith  the  promised  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Up,  and  be  doings  beloved.  It  is  the  command 
of  God  that  we  appropriate  the  work  of  Christ,  and 
He  calls  it  the  work  of  God  that  we  believe  in 
Jesus.  Whether  we  can  live  as  we  ought,  ask 
Jesus,  and  He  will  tell  us  that  He  will  make  us  by 
His  own  power,  through  faith,  "perfect  in  every 
good  work  to  do  His  will,  working  in  us  that  which 
is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight."  It  is  His  work,  and 
He  will  surely  do  it ;  our  work  and  our  privilege 
alike  is  to  believe  Him,  to  have  our  hearts  wholly 
sanctified,  and  made  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light. 

If  the  work  of  our  sanctification  be  His  work, 
it  must  be  an  easy  way  for  us.  The  pains  were 
His,  the  precious  results  are  ours.  Our  privilege, 
our  engagement.     For  when  we  gave  ourselves  to 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  20I 

Christ,  //  7vas  to  take  all  He  7aould  give.     It  must 
be  the  nature  of  faith  to  give  all  and  take  all. 

Do  not,  beloved,  stand  any  more  thinking  of  the 
hardness  of  the  way.  For  it  must  be  called  —  as  it 
is  the  ofily  way  —  so  it  is 

THE    EASY   WAY    OF    HOLINESS. 

Every  one  in  all  ages  who  has  tried  the  way  of 
Jesus  has  found  it  an  easy  way.  It  is  easy  in 
every  step.  All  the  hardness  is  before  we  truly  get 
into  the  way.  Convicted  persons  think  they  have 
much  to  do,  they  do  much,  and  they  anticipate 
much  hardship  in  following  the  Lord,  after  they 
shall  have  commenced.  But  when  they  submit  to 
God's  way  they  always  find  themselves  happily 
mistaken.  They  admire  the  easiness  of  casting 
themselves  upon  and  living  in  the  Lord  Jesus. 
The  only  reason  why  there  should  be  any  lapse 
from  the  peculiarly  "  peaceful  hours  they  once  en- 
joyed" is  found  in  the  loss  of  simplicity  in  their 
trust.  Of  course,  losing  this,  they  fall  into  incon- 
sistencies, and  sins,  and  very  frequently  are  more 
wretched  than  Paul  is  described  to  have  been  in 
the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans,  for  they  cannot 
answer  the  question,  "  ^Vho  shall  deliver  me?"  as 
soon  as  Paul  did  ;  and  so  they  stay  in  the  "  wretched 
man  "  experience,  failing  to  enjoy  the  glorious  lib- 
erty of  the  eighth  chapter. 

They  are  often,  therefore,  pained  by  the  fearful 


202  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

discrepancies  between  the  words  of  Christ  and 
their  own  experience.  He  said,  "Take  my  yoke 
upon  you  and  learn  for  me,  for  I  am  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls  ;  for  my  yoke  is  easy  and  my  burden  is  light.'" 
They  frequently  find  the  yoke  of  Christ  hard,  and 
their  burdens  in  His  service  heavy.  This  makes 
them  cry  out  for  very  pain,  because  they  know  that 
Christ  spoke  the  truth.  Besides,  multitudes  are 
heard  professing  with  joy  that  they  have  found,  just 
as  Jesus  said,  the  yoke  easy  and  the  burden  light. 
Now  their  only  difficulty  is  in  the  want  of  simple 
faith.  They  do  not  with  an  unreserved  consecra- 
tion leave  all  things,  all  p7'esent  things,  all  past 
things,  all  future  things  in  the  hands  of  their  Lord, 
who  is  also  their  Life.  They  think  they  are  in  the 
yoke  with  Christ,  but  if  they  examine  they  will  find 
that  instead  of  being  fully  under  Christ's  yoke  they 
are  only  under  the  end  of  it,  or  they  are  leaning  to 
the  outside  of  it.  The  yoke  is  well  fitted  to  the 
neck  —  but  the  end  of  it  or  the  outer  side  of  it  will 
only  gall  and  fret  the  wearer.  If  he  dreads  carry- 
ing an  even  share  of  the  load,  and  thus  pulls  off 
from  his  Helper,  he  only  adds  to  the  load,  and 
spoils  his  own  spirit.  But  if  he  remembers  that  the 
twin  in  this  yoke  is  Christ  Himself,  and  presses 
closely  up  to  Him  in  the  place  where  His  yoke  was 
meant  to  fit  his  brethren,  he  shall  find  the  yoke  of 
Christ  not  only 'easy,  but  sweet,  and  he  shall  find 


THE    REST    or    FAITH.  203 

the  load  which  his  imbcHcf  so  much  dreaded  is  no 
load  at  all.  For  in  this  yoke-bearing  Jesus  takes 
the  weight  of  the  load,  and  gives  the  simple  be- 
liever, who  voluntarily  takes  place  nearest  Himself, 
the  unutterable  pleasures  of  His  companionship. 

Legality,  the  state  of  burdens,  presses  on  the 
outer  side  of  the  yoke.  Its  doctrine  is  that  the  way 
of  Christ  is  a  crucifying  way,  which  therefore  fosters 
a  spirit  of  complaint  against  those  who  find  His 
way  so  easy.  And  so  the  legalist  goes  on  with  his 
burdens  of  sorrow  and  of  service,  looking  at  them 
as  his  "  evidences^  Therefore  his  "  wretched  man  " 
experience  becomes  one  of  his  chief  proofs  that  he 
is  a  child  of  God.  He  gets  the  fact  of  his  Chris- 
tianity by  inference,  not  directly  from  the  bright 
shining  of  Christ  in  his  soul.  No  wonder  he  should 
count  the  way  hard.  It  is  hard  for  him  and  for  all 
who  get  their  evidences  in  the  same  way.  This 
legalist  often  sleeps  at  night  on  the  question^  ''  Who 
shall  deliver  me?"  — not  on  the  ansivei'.  Now  the 
question  is  a  hard  pillow,  begetting  headaches  and 
heart-aches,  and  spiritual  rheumatism  in  "  the  joints 
and  marrow."  But  the  answer  of  that  question  is 
joyful  in  the  extreme.  He  that  sleeps  upon  that 
lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams,  and  to  a  joyous  con- 
sciousness, in  his  wakeful  moments,  of  a  present 
Deliverer.  His  communion  at  midnight  is  with  the 
Father  and  with  His  Son  Jesus  Christ.  The 
"  wretched "    asker   of    the   question    tosses    and 


204  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

groans,  while  the  simple  believer  in  the  answer  is 
entertained  with  "  songs  in  the  night."  To  the 
one  the  way  is  hard,  very  hard— "crucifying,"  as 
he  says,  "  to  the  flesh."  To  the  other  the  cruci- 
fixion is  past  —  he  is  "risen  with  Christ  "  "in  new- 
ness of  life"  — the  way  is  pleasant,  how  pleasant  ! 
"  Joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,"  heaven  begun, 
a  millennial  experience. 

This  is  the  "  Higher  Christian  Life."  To  get  up 
into  it  is  not  the  work  of  years  and  of  excruciating 
sorrows.  All  the  sorrow  needful  for  it  Jesus  en- 
dured. All  the  discipline  for  it  is  occasioned  by 
the  Christian's  slowness  in  believing.  It  is  not 
right  to  say  that  years  are  needful,  years  of  toil  and 
painful  experience,  before  one  can  enjoy  it.  This 
may  be  common,  but  it  is  not  necessary. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  deepest  reverence 
be  it  observed,  is  a  better  Banker.  The  checks 
made  out  for  the  bank  of  faith  are  better  paper 
than  many  would  make  them.  The  will  of  the 
Christian  delays  to  present  the  check,  the  ^'•exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promise^'  but  the  will  of 
Jesus  delays  not.  The  rule  of  His  bank  is,  "  Ask, 
and  it  shall  be  given."  "  My  peace  I  give  unto 
you."  It  is  in  the  present  tense  to  all  in  believing 
communion  with  him,  and  in  the  future  tense  to 
give  confidence  for  all  future  needs,  and  for  all  the 
succeeding  generations  of  saints,  to  the  end  of  the 
world — '■'•Ask  and  ye  shall  receive^  that  your  joy 


THE    REST    OF    FAITII.  205 

viay  be  full.''  Why,  then,  should  we  wait  ?  To  get 
better  ?  That  is  Jesus'  work.  To  get  rid  of  our 
burden  ?  The  Lord  is  our  Burden-bearer.  To 
become  ready  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  higher  plane 
of  spiritual  experience  ?  Alas  !  that  is  only  on  the 
principle  of  this  world.  How  much  better  to  yield 
everything  to  Christ  at  ofice,  and  at  once  to  enter 
into  the  rest  of  simple  faith,  than  to  wait  for  years 
and  be  crucified  by  a  slow  torture  into  a  readiness 
for  this  exalted  experience,  or  rather  into  a  readi- 
ness to  consecrate  all  to  Him,  and  to  believe  in 
His  acceptance ! 

Believe  with  many  of  every  name,  who  live  in 
the  constant  sense  of  the  presence  of  Christ,  that 
your  joy  may  be  full  in  a  day,  or  an  hour,  yea,  even 
in  a  moment,  and  that  better  than  by  waiting  for 
years.  The  years  of  waiting  only  contract  habits 
of  unbelief  And  these  afterward  may  interrupt 
the  flow  of  simple  faith.  Now  enter  into  rest. 
Now  give  everything  you  can  name  that  men  call 
*'  yours,"  in  special  consecration  to  the  Lord ;  be- 
lieve that  He  accepts  your  offering,  and  enter  to 
rest.  Now  !  "  Behold,  noiv  is  the  accepted  time  ; 
behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  Now  is  the 
time  for  a  particular  and  unreserved  consecration 
—  for  committing  all  your  future  to  your  covenant 
God  —  for  taking  Him  at  His  word  in  every  prom- 
ise. Now  is  the  time  for  your  joy  in  Jesus  to  be 
full,  your  peace  in  Him  to  be  like  a  river,  passing 


2o6  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

all  understanding.  Now  is  the  time  for  you,  in  an 
All-conquering  Jesus,  to  be  free  from  all  bond- 
age, and  from  all  your  foes  —  devil,  sin,  and  self. 

It  is  now  more  than  five  years  since  the  writer 
was  brought  into  this  gracious  "highway."  They 
have  been  years  of  exceeding  great  comfort,  and 
that  in  many  varieties  of  outward  condition.  The 
Heavenly  Master  has  led  him  through  many  dark 
places,  and  down  to  the  gates  of  death,  with  plenty 
and  with  nothing.  The  winters  have  been  as  sum- 
mers, and  "  December  as  pleasant  as  May."  Old 
burdens  that  haunted  him  through  former  years,  and 
old  sins  which  bore  him  down  to  the  earth,  and  old 
idolatrous  habits,  fled  before  the  power  of  The  Liv- 
ing Christ,  who  commenced  there  to  "  reign  without 
a  rival "  in  his  soul.  Be  it  written,  be  it  spoken  ;  ye 
saints,  help  me  to  spread  it,  to  the  praise,  and  only 
to  the  praise,  of  sovereign  grace.  The  former  life 
was  a  hard  one  with  a  "  wretched  man  "  experience ; 
these  last  years  have  abundantly  proved  Christ's 
way  to  be  easy.  The  Avay  into  the  highway  of  holi- 
ness is  easy,  and  all  along  it  is  the  same,  for  "  all 
the  way  along  it  is  Jesus."  Come,  dear  saints,  give 
up  everything,  lay  down  your  all  at  Jesus'  feet,  and 
continuously  live  in  your  Hiding-Place. 

Second.     Dearly  beloved,  abide  in  Christ. 

The  New  Testament  places  before  us  a  mode  of 
expression  which  is  connected  with  our  highest  spir- 
itual enjoyment.      The  same  expression  also  looks 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  207 

to  the  complete  development  of  our  soul's  life.  It 
is  the  utterance  of  our  Living  Head.  "Abide." 
'*  Dwell."  *'  If  ye  abide  in  me."  "  Dwelleth  in  me 
and  I  in  Him."  These  words,  in  their  connection 
with  Jesus  Christ  and  our  own  ransomed  souls,  are 
the  sweetest  of  all  the  languages.  For  they  describe 
the  highest  joy  which  is  the  strength  of  our  souls, 
they  are  the  continual  illustration  of  the  meaning 
of  the  words  of  Jesus  on  the  cross,  "  It  is  finished," 
and  they  give  a  substantial  view  of  our  Lord's  esti- 
mation of  the  riches  of  His  inheritance  in  the  saints. 
Jesus  with  us,  and  we  with  Him  !  How  poor  all 
knowledge,  how  tasteless  all  intellectual  pleasures, 
how  infinitely  small  all  possessions  in  the  absence 
of  that  gracious  fact !  For  when  a  man  abide  in 
Christy  he  has  more  than  heart  can  wish.  DweUing 
in  riches  is  not  satisfying.  It  is  often  broken  up, 
and  when  connected  with  inability  or  want  of  inclin- 
ation to  use  the  wealth  aright,  it  is  really  uncom- 
fortable. But  dwelling  in  Christ  is  always  satisfying. 
It  cures  the  spirit  and  keeps  it  in  health  when  the 
body  is  low,  and  rejoices  with  foretastes  of  heaven 
when  trials  press  most  severely.  And  why  all  this  ? 
Because  dwelling  in  Christ  is  present,  and  full,  and 
unlimited  salvation.  In  such  a  condition  all  that 
looks  untoward  is  really  felt  to  be  good,  and  there 
is  so  much  positive  and  heavenly  enjoyment,  that 
the  adversities  of  the  situation  are  more  than  cov- 
ered over. 


2o8  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Why  should  it  not  be  so  ?  Dwelling  in  Christ 
is  everything.  It  is  the  hiding  of  ourselves  where 
Satan,  and  evil,  and  sin  cannot  reach  us,  and  where 
indwelling  sin  is  taken  away.  ' '  Whosoever  abideth 
in  Him,  sinneth  not."  This  is  not  to  be  understood 
in  a  forensic  sense,  but  practically.  Because  dwell- 
ing with  Christ  is  His  own  sanctification.  Christ 
cannot  dwell  with  sin,  and  so  the  soul  who  dwells 
with  Him  is  kept  from  sin.  Who  keeps  it  pure  ? 
Jesus  who  only  can  ;  Jesus  whose  name  assures  us 
that  He  saves  His  people  from  their  sins ;  Jesus 
who  says,  "  I  am  the  Way."  How  else  can  He  be 
called  "  the  Way,"  but  by  His  own  divine  energy, 
which  controls  our  movements,  makes  certain  our 
condition,  and  works  in  us  mightily  ? 

It  is  on  this  account  that  we  read  so  much  in  the 
New  Testament  of  His  working  in  us.  In  walking 
an  earthly  way,  we  do  the  work,  but  in  spiritual  life 
we  simply  trust  Jesus  to  do  it.  And  so  coming  to 
Him,  He  is  not  only  the  Way,  but  He  is  the  "  All  in 
all,"  "  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life."  We  find 
Heaven  by  His  communication  of  Himself  to  us. 
Now,  then,  if  any  wish  to  be  "free  from  sin,"  to  be 
"made  clean,"  "to  be  holy,"  to  have  the  power  of 
the  devil  and  the  works  of  the  devil  destroyed  in 
their  hearts,  they  can  have  it  no  other  way  than  by 
abiding  in  Christ.  It  must  be  constant  victory  when 
the  unconquerable  Conqueror  is  verily  present.  It 
must  be  eternal  security,  which  the  gates  of  hell 


Tin:    REST   OF    FAITH.  209 

cannot  even  disturb,  when  we  are  shut  up  in  God, 
when  God  is  all  around  us,  and  under  us,  and  above 
us,  as  a  citadel ;  and  that  by  special  promise,  and 
by  the  most  satisfying  statements  of  His  salvation. 
Who  enjoy  this  victory?  The  souls  that  abide  in 
Christ. 

"  O  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  it,"  says  one. 
"  It  is  not  my  lot,"  says  another  ;  and  another  still, 
"  I  shall  never  be  made  perfect  but  through  suffer- 
ing." Stop,  ye  saints  :  the  great  salvation  is  at  your 
door.  Christ.  Only  Jesus  !  Away  with  your  fears. 
Make  to  Him  such  a  consecration  as  you  never 
made  before.  Give  up  everything  to  Him.  Keep 
nothing  for  yourself.  This  is  the  very  first  step, 
because  Jesus  cannot  do  the  mighty  work  for  you 
while  you  are  keeping  back  anything.  It  is  simply 
impossible.  Oh,  let  me  sound  it  loud  —  conse- 
crate !  Nothing  can  be  done  in  this  cleansing  way 
while  you  have  a  will  of  your  own.  Get  everything 
on  His  altar.  Not  a  thing  behind.  Not  a  friend, 
or  relative,  or  a  dollar.  All  for  Jesus !  Reputa- 
tion, too.  V>Q  willing  to  be  a  fool.  Be  willing  to 
differ  with  many,  for  you  will  be  compelled  to. 
People  want  so  much  of  this  world,  that  some  of 
the  best  of  them  tame  down  Jesus'  expressions. 
Self  and  reputation  must  go,  that  Jesus  may  make 
Himself  shine  in  you,  and  may  give  you  His  own 
reputation.  Then  Jesus  will  fill  you  full  with  Him- 
self. He  will  "  open  the  windows  of  heaven,  and 
14 


2IO  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

pour  you  out  a  blessing  that  there  shall  not  be  room 
enough  to  receive  it." 

But  some  say,  "  How  can  I  dwell  in  Christ  ?  Is 
it  at  my  disposal  whether  I  do,  or  not  ?  I  am  will- 
ing to  give  up  all,  but  how  can  I  dwell  in  Him  so 
that  these  gracious  results  will  take  place  in  me  ?" 
Well,  dear  one,  Jesus  is  always  first  in  the  work. 
He  has  excited  those  desires  in  you,  and  now  it  is 
He  first  that  is  to  dwell  in  you.  Do  you  not  be- 
lieve that  He  will  be  as  good  as  His  word?  "  I 
will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them."  Believe 
Him.  Fasten  your  faith  upon  Him  and  believe. 
"  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood," 
he  that  continually  rests  at  my  bleeding  side,  and 
alone  trusts  me  for  the  nourishment  of  his  spiritual 
life,  "dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him." 

Third.  Learn  a  lesson  of  the  utmost  importance, 
without  which  you  can  never  get,  nor  can  you  ever 
keep  the  blessing  which  you  seek. 

"BE    STILL." 

Let  us  learn  what  it  means  to  be  still.  "Be 
still,  and  know  that  I  am  God."  You  must  not 
think  that  it  would  stop  your  daily  round  of  duties 
in  the  family,  or  the  community,  or  the  church.  It 
would  not  lessen  a  jot  the  utmost  activity  of  need- 
ful, proper,  God-ordained  manual  labor.  It  would 
not  shut  you  up  in  seclusion,  but  might  even  enhance 
the  necessity  of  constant  motion  in  your  body,  to 


Tin:    REST   OF    FAITH.  211 

and  from  places  of  business,  and  the  hiding-places 
of  sorrow  and  sickness  and  filth  and  misery.  In- 
deed, very  often  the  soul  that  is  still  before  God 
is  full  of  work,  full  of  thoughts  and  plans  about  the 
work  which  every  saint  may  find.  We  may  easily 
conceive  of  such  a  soul  as  among  the  very  busiest 
of  men.  It  may  even  be  said  that  he  that  will  be 
still  before  God  shall  find  plenty  to  do.  Because 
when  we  stand  still,  it  is  to  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  and  conscience,  listening  to  the  still,  small 
voice,  sees  the  work  of  the  Lord  on  every  hand. 

Now  the  lines  of  this  world's  activity  and  of  the 
stirring  engagements  of  Christ's  little  ones  are  very 
different.  In  the  former  it  is  all  self — in  the  latter 
it  is  not  self  We  do  not  here  speak  of  every  one 
who  is  called  Christian.  We  speak  only  of  Christ's 
little  ones,  with  babe-like  faith,  and  who  are  in  the 
habit  of  resting  on  the  bosom  of  Christ  as  John  at 
the  Supper.  They  have  learned  to  be  still  in  spir- 
it, though  they  are  exceedingly  active  —  active,  as 
some  think,  in  that  which  results  in  Httle,  —  they 
are  willing  to  wait  for  the  decisions  of  eternity. 
And  here  is  the  characteristic  of  real  quietness  be- 
fore God.  The  world  and  the  worldly  Christian  (a 
strange  yet  very  charitable  name)  work  in  present 
results  ;  they  may  look  for  future  fruit  indeed,  but 
they  abound  in  present  issues  and  perhaps  in  pres- 
ent appearances.  The  other  has  laid  all  at  Jesus' 
feet,  and  labors  not  so  much  for  the  quantity  as  the 


212  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

quality ;  his  chief  joy,  when  in  secret  he  goes  to  the 
Master  with  work  which  many  think  to  be  but  Httle, 
but  which  he  knows  to  be,  and  Jesus  loves  as  the 
work  of  eternity. 

Then,  what  we  mean  by  "  being  still  before  God  " 
is,  to  be  living  in  the  conclusions  of  eternity  —  it  is 
to  be  acting  as  if  the  present  hour  of  our  work 
would  be  the  last.  Ah  !  that  is  it.  Men  call  on 
every  side,  and  as  the  result  proud  souls  are  flying 
on  every  side  to  see  that  they  lose  nothing  —  with 
perhaps  an  occasional  thought  of  scattering  a  little 
of  their  plenty  for  benevolence  ;  but  these  that 
quietly  bend  their  souls  to  hear  the  still,  small  voice 
of  their  God,  do  not  always  follow  the  crowd  that 
cry  "here"  and  "there."  Their  simple  desire  is 
to  know  what  God  would  have  them  do,  or  where 
to  go,  or  what  to  suffer.  They  neither  strive  nor 
cry  nor  lift  up  their  voice  to  be  heard  or  seen. 

"Were  all  such,"  says  an  objector,  "  the  work 
would  move  on  very  slowly."  But,  beloved,  were 
all  such,  work  Avould  be  done  without  reference  to 
its  external  report  —  without  regard  to  the  classes 
of  society  in  which,  or  the  companions  in  labor  by 
whom.  The  results  would  be  as  the  labor,  apos- 
tolically  simple,  but  they  would  break  forth  into 
such  glorious  issues  as  would  soon  fill  the  world 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

Dear  child  of  God,  your  highest  usefulness  and 
your  greatest  comfort  lies  in  being  still  before  your 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  213 

covenant-keeping  God.  Do  you  desire  to  extend 
your  influence  for  Jesus'  sake  (no  other  motive  is 
of  God)  far  beyond  the  narrow  circle  in  which  you 
live  ?  First  of  all,  get  your  soul  on  fire  with  a  love 
that  draws  you  momentarily  to  the  blessed  Lord. 
This  you  cannot  do  when  you  are  going  all  about 
the  world  for  comfort,  and  for  advice,  and  for  work. 
Stay  a  moment — yes^  stop  lo7ig,  if  it  may  be  re- 
quired. At  the  last  formal  installation  of  the 
writer  over  a  pastoral  charge,  the  minister  who 
charged  the  pastor  reminded  him  of  the  word  "  con- 
secration,' and  urged  him  to  act  upon  the  thought. 
It  was  in  that  pastorate,  too,  that  my  soul  found 
such  a  meaning  in  the  word  coiisecration  as  it  had 
not  before  known.  It  had  before  been  a  word  of 
general  meaning,  with  quite  general  results.  But 
that  is  by  no  means  the  true  view  of  consecration. 
It  is  in  reality  the  act  of  the  soul  in  exclusive  com- 
munion with  the  Lord,  with  a  complete  yielding  of 
the  whole  being  in  special  inventory  to  Him,  for 
service,  for  suffering,  or  for  the  grave.  It  presents 
no  stipulations,  but  rests  solely  in  His  sovereign 
use  and  direction  of  all  our  powers  and  all  the  prop- 
erty we  may  have  thought  belonged  to  our  name. 
Any  other  view  of  consecration  is  deficient  and 
ruinous.  A  glance  is  sufficient  for  the  conclusion 
that  such  a  complete  consecration  is  only  made  in 
secret  with  God,  and  in  a  stillness  of  spirit  which 
has  left  the  fretfulness  of  its  unrest  behind. 


214  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

I  hear  the  groans  of  the  hungry  and  thirsty  multi- 
tude. They  are  crying,  "  This  rest  is  not  for  me.  It 
is  for  those  who  can  Hve  nearer  to  God  than  I  can." 
Nay,  it  is  for  you,  dear  soul  —  be  still.  Your  crying 
hinders  your  rest.  Your  aching  soul  needs  rest. 
"  Where  shall  you  get  it  ?  "  In  Jesus.  "When  ?  " 
Just  now.  Be  still.  You  are  very  anxious  ?  Well, " 
anxiety  is  not  always  of  faith.  It  very  often  hin- 
ders it.  It  says  to  a  man,  "  Let  me  lean  on  you," 
or  to  men,  "  Bear  me  up;  "  but  your  burdens  must 
not  be  taken  so  far.  Oh,  what  a  mistake  unbeliev- 
ing children  of  God  are  under  !  They  take  their 
causes  of  trouble  to  men,  as  though  they  were 
nearer  neighbors  than  the  throne.  But  when  your 
restless  spirit  goes  to  men,  it  turns  from  God  —  it 
travels  miles  with  a  burden  when  it  might  lay  it 
down  at  once.  Where  is  God  ?  Where  is  Jesus  ? 
Where  is  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Ah  !  if  you  could  see 
where  God  is,  you  would  not  be  so  long  seeking. 
You  need  not  bring  Him  down  nor  seek  Him  be- 
low nor  send  after  Him.  "  Oh,"  you  say,  "let  me 
get  out  of  this  crowd,  and  I  can  see  Him."  No, 
beloved,  "be  still."  God  is  just  here.  Are  you 
on  bustling  Broadway  or  selfish  and  noisy  Wall 
Street,  with  a  burden  ?  God  is  here  —  lay  down 
your  burden.  Your  Lord  Jesus  is  here  to  receive 
your  burden,  and  carry  it  for  you  all  the  way  home 
—  no,  not  only  as  far  as  *Fiftieth  Street,  but  all 

*  It  was  in  Fiftieth  Street,  New  York  city,  where  the  writer  was  filled 
with  burdens  that  well-nigh  overcame  him.     But  blessed  be  the  name  of 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  215 

THE  WAY  HOME  !  Ycs,  this  lest  is  for  you,  dear 
soul.  Jesus  wants  you  to  have  it.  Surely  that  is 
warrant  enough  for  your  faith.  If  you  are  afraid, 
trust  Him.  If  all  is  dark,  trust  Him.  Don't  seek 
to  make  sparks  of  your  own  kindling.  Trust  Jesus. 
Remember  how  He  sent  one  of  His  ministers  for  a 
fish.  He  knew  all  fish,  and  He  can  successfully 
send  you  for  that  fish  which  will  fully  supply  your 
present  lack. 

A  man  told  me  the  other  day  that  he  had  waited 
long  and  was  about  worn  out  with  waiting.  What 
a  mistake  !  True  waiters  07i  God  do  not  get  worn 
out.  This  man  was  complaining,  and  that  surely  is 
not  being  still  before  God.  Waiting  on  God  is  full 
refreshment ;  for  while  God's  answer  is  preparing 
(it  may  be  far  off)  He  sends  in  to  us  delicacies, 
such  as  abound  only  M  a  king's  palace.  Hence  it 
is  written,  "  They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall 
renew  their  strength ;  they  shall  mount  up  with 
wings  as  eagles ;  they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary, 
and  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint." 

Dear  child  of  God,  "be  still."  If  the  winds 
howl  and  the  tempest  raves,  be  still.  Jesus  cannot 
sleep.  He  is  the  Author  of  the  day.  Give  all  to 
Jesus,  and  take  all  things.     For  in  Him  "  all  things 

the  Lord,  in  that  place  of  burdens  in  Fiftieth  Street,  Jesus  brought  him 
into  this  rest  of  faith  ;  and  though  the  outward  circumstances  (the  bur- 
dens) became  heavier,  yet  his  rest  was  like  that  of  heaven.  Jesus  car- 
ried all  the  burdens,  and  has  continued  to  do  so  ever  since.  Let  the 
reader  say  with  me,  Hallelujah  to  the  Lamb. 


2l6  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

are  yours."  Only  be  still.  For  '•''this  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe." 

Fourth.  Always  let  your  faith  be  assured.  The 
greatest,  mightiest  faith  (I  speak  after  the  manner 
of  men)  is  simple  faith.  Simple  faith,  theii,  is  full 
assura7ice  of  faith, 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  God-man,  Sovereign 
Saviour,  the  Light  of  the  world,  and  the  Light  of  life, 
laid  down  his  life  "  that  we  might  have  life,  and  that 
we  might  have  it  more  abundantly."  The  terms 
expressive  of  the  union  between  himself  and  His 
saints  show  their  privileges  as  beyond  their  own 
power  of  description  — friends,  brethren,  branches, 
S071S  of  God,  and  thus  in  the  same  family  as  the  only 
begotten  Son,  with  all  the  privileges  of  a  saved 
family,  in  Him  the  ark  of  safety,  and  bound  to  the 
same  heaven.  The  only  condition  to  which  we  are 
subject  is  simple  faith.  Now  faith  cannot  be  ex- 
ercised when  we  retain  any  selfish  boons.  The  sin- 
ner must  repent  or  he  can  never  have  faith.  And 
the  true  Christian  has  reserved  nothing  for  himself. 
If  any  suppose  he  is  a  Christian  to  whom  Jesus  is 
not  First  and  Last,  he  is  simply  deceived.  But 
when  a  man  has  let  go  everything  for  Christ,  has 
forsaken  every  false  refuge,  and  has  made  positive 
consecration  of  all  (we  know  of  no  other  kind  of 
valid  consecration),  he  may  be,  he  ought  to  be,  fully 
assured  of  his  salvation. 

For  our  salvation  is  not  of  ourselves.     And  ac- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  217 

cording  to  the  power  by  which  we  have  it,  we  ought 
to  be  assured  of  it.  If  it  were  in  any  sense  our 
own,  then  we  might  be  privileged  to  doubt,  since  we 
are  so  miserably  ignorant,  and  weak,  and  hell-de- 
serving in  our  own  natural  constitution.  But  as  we 
are  to  cast  our  own  doings  down,  every  one  of  them, 
and  as  this  salvation  is  all  by  faith  in  Him  Who 
doeth  all  things  well,  and  Who  never  faileth,  nor 
ever  faileth  His  people,  we  ought  to  believe  fully 
that  we  are  saved,  if  we  believe  at  all.  It  is  simply 
wicked  to  doubt  God,  and  to  let  His  word  pass  for 
naught. 

There  have  been  many  discussions  upon  the  full 
assurance  of  faith,  and  according  to  many  old  no- 
tions it  would  seem  that  it  was  almost  gracious  to 
doubt.  It  would  be  gracious  to  doubt  if  in  any  sense 
we  were  saved  by  works.  But  since  Jesus  saves, 
who  can  doubt  ?  For  doubting  is  doubting  Him. 
"  No,"  you  say,  "I  don't  doubt  Him  ;  it  is  myself  I 
doubt,  whether  I  have  faith,  or  love,  or  true  zeal." 
But,  beloved  soul,  who  works  these  in  the  heart  ? 
Is  it  yourself?  You  freely  answer,  "Oh,  no,  it  is 
God  who  worketh  in  me  to  will  and  to  do  of  His 
own  good  pleasure." 

Now,  then,  away  with  this  pride  which  keeps  you 
from  coming  to  ]csus  jusf  as  you  are.  Let  Jesus 
work  in  you.  Let  him  cleanse  you  for  His  own  in- 
dwelling ;  you  can  never  do  it.  Faith  is  a  falling  of 
the  whole  being  upon  God. 


2l8  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

Since  the  promises  of  God  are  so  abundant  in 
this  very  direction,  our  faith  is  to  rest  on  what  God 
has  said.  It  must,  then,  be  an  assurance.  Not  to 
be  assured  of  what  God  has  said,  is  to  have  unbe- 
lief. The  Scriptures  therefore  are  full  in  the  men- 
tion and  description  of  an  assured  faith,  and  they 
are  only  condemnatory  of  a  doubting  life.  Doubts 
are  devils  in  the  Christian  life.  Let  us  have  no 
more  of  them.  This  can  be  done  only  as  our  faith 
says,  "only  Jesus !  "  "  He  must,  He  will,  and  He 
does  send  His  Spirit  to  do  the  whole  work  in  me, 
and  to  accomplish  my  salvation." 

"  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter 
into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and 
living  way,  which  He  hath  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say.  His  flesh ;  and  hav- 
ing a  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God ;  let  us 
draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of 
faith  /  ....  let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our 
faith  without  wavering  ;  for  He  is  faith fil  that  pro- 
mis  edr 

Anything  that  has  been  promised  is  a  subject  of 
assurance  therefore.  Saints  may  and  must  be  as- 
sured of  that  in  their  gracious  standing  before  the 
Lord.  The  Lord  has  assured  all  believers  in  the 
possession  of  peace ,  perfect  peace.  "  Thou  wilt 
keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on 
Thee." 

They  may  be  assured  of  their  hope^  "  which  hope 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  219 

we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul."  They  may  be 
confident  of  the  possession  oi proper  dispositions  of 
mind,  "  hereby  we  know  that  He  abideth  in  us,  by 
the  Spirit  which  He  hath  given  us."  They  may  be 
undoubting  in  respect  to  the  constant,  unwavering, 
infinitely  kind  gov ernvient  of  them  by  their  heavenly 
Father^  both  in  the  restraints  of  His  providence 
and  in  the  constrainings  of  His  love.  And  since 
He  has  promised  it,  they  may  be  fully  persuaded 
that  they  are  "partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  "par- 
takers of  His  hohness,"  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature^  having  escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in  the 
world  through  lust." 

How,  then,  should  it  appear  strange  to  them  that 
they  may  be  ^'■wholly  sanctified  in  body,  soul,  and 
Spirit ;  zxiA  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  ^^  Faithful  h  He  that  call- 
eth  them,  who  also  will  do  it.''  Up  from  your  doubts, 
Christian.  You  have  all  this  in  Christ.  These 
gifts  are  the  purchase  of  His  blood  and  the  work  of 
His  Holy  Spirit.  "  As  thou  hast  believed,"  as  you 
now  believe,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee.  Rest  assured 
of  this,  that  His  word  shall  never  fail  thee,  in  gra- 
cious effects  upon  thy  soul,  or  in  full  provision  for 
any  want  of  thy  renewed  nature.  All  this  thou  hast 
in  Jesus  Christ.  The  half  has  not  been  told  thee 
of  thy  present  riches,  of  a  perfect  inheritance  in 
Him.     Look  to  Him  for  all,  and  all  is  thine. 

Fifth.  Let  the  love-power  be  in  full  force.     It 


2  20  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

is  infinitely  better  than  the  will-power.  Though  the 
Marthas  may  have  something  to  say  of  its  position 
in  the  present  time  (and  these  Marthas  may  be 
very  dear  people  to  Jesus),  yet  in  the  end  it  shall 
be  seen  that  Mary's  spirit,  her  quiet  demeanor,  her 
gentle  sympathy  with  Jesus  in  the  persons  of  His 
poor,  and  the  sweetness  of  her  speech  in  all  her 
exhortations  and  didactics,  will  have  accomplished 
much  more  to  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Let  us  all 
be  Marys. 

Love  is  a  shining  grace.  Its  supremacy  in  the 
soul  banishes  all  things  that  offend.  You  cannot 
make  it.  The  Holy  Ghost  produces  it  with  divine 
energy.  Its  fruit,  therefore,  is  known,  and  well 
known.  Where  it  exists  people  do  not  live  in 
selfishness,  in  wantonness,  in  carelessness  of  their 
neighbors,  in  forgetfulness  of  the  salvation  of  souls. 
For  not  only  its  pattern,  its  very  life  is  in  Him  who 
by  love  left  the  glories  of  the  throne  to  work  out 
its  saving  power  for  a  lost  race.  All  the  marks  of 
love  predominate.  It  is  not  dependent  on  other 
graces.  It  is  the  royal  grace,  which  moves  and 
sways  the  other  graces  and  directs  all  motions  of 
the  man.  In  souls  that  are  truly  born  again  the 
motions  of  love  may  be  expected  to  predominate— 

I.  In  the  God- ward  tendency  of  the  whole  man. 
The  law  has  two  tables.  The  first  directs  our 
loving  zeal  whence  all  goodness  flows.  And  this 
is  according  to  the  law  of  goodness   itself     God 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  22  1 

knows  that  we  cannot  truly,  or  properly,  or  exten- 
sively, and  unselfishly  love  our  brother  man,  and 
thus  keep  the  second  table  of  the  law,  unless  we 
sincerely  and  with  devotion  love  Himself,  and 
thus  keep  the  first  table.  Therefore  God  says, 
"  love  me  first  and  love  me  best."  Hence  it  is 
safely  affirmed  that  we  cannot  feel  true  love  for 
our  fellow-man  when  the  love  of  God  is  absent. 
And  hence  we  look  in  the  lives  of  Christians  for 
bright,  glowing,  substantial  love  for  God.  And  we 
always  find  it  in  those  who  are  truly  born  again. 
Their  new  life  is  one  of  deep-seated  love  for  God 
—  this  its  distinction ;  its  supreme  attraction  to 
Him  ;  and  to  all  its  companions. 

2.  In  addition  to  this  is  its  man-ward  action.  It 
is  not  a  vague,  philosophic,  self-saving  machinery 
for  moral  display,  but  a  heavenly  flow  of  holy  sym- 
pathy in  all  that  elevates  man  by  glorifying  God. 
You  may  do  much  without  possessing  charity. 
They  have  been  known  who,  to  use  the  Apostle's 
figure,  have  spoken  "with  the  tongues  of  men  and 
of  angels;"  but  they  have  been  but  "sounding 
brass  and  tinkling  cymbals."  A  very  little  done 
with  this  holy  grace  will  be  vastly  greater  than 
thousands  of  mingled  deeds  in  its  semblance. 
Though  a  royal  grace,  it  is  not  lofty.  It  seeks  no 
titles,  and  gladly  buries  all  high-sounding  names. 
And  consequently  in  return  the  world  often  buries 
this  grace. 


222  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

The  first  item  in  Paul's  description  of  it  pro- 
nounces its  doom  from  the  worldly  code.  "  Char- 
ity suffereth  long  and  is  kind."  That  is  not  the 
way  of  men.  The  heavenly  minded  cover  mul- 
titudes of  sins.  They  carry  a  cloak  for  the  sins  of 
others,  not  for  their  own.  But  this  cloak  they 
carry  for  the  sins  of  others  is  not  a  bareworn  coat, 
that  doth  cost  them  little.  It  is  the  costliest  of  all 
garments.  They  serve  not  the  Lord  with  that 
which  doth  cost  them  nothing.  It  costs  them  more 
than  gold.     Charity  suffereth  long,   and   is   kind. 

With  whom  does  it  suffer  long,  and  to  whom  is 
it  kind  ?  Is  it  with  its  companions  on  the  way  to 
heaven,  with  souls  in  a  holy  exchange  of  thoughts 
and  powers  and  riches  of  eternity  ?  Nay,  with  its 
enemies,  with  its  persecutors,  with  the  malicious, 
with  the  self-willed,  with  egotistical  and  pharisaical 
venders  of  a  mock  humility.  If  you  have  this 
grace,  and  have  been  deeply  wronged,  and  vio- 
lently persecuted,  it  will  shine  the  brighter  amid 
the  keener  cuts  and  swifter  darts  of  even  a  refined 
cruelty.  Nor  will  it  put  up  its  injuries  for  a  future 
day.  Though  it  were  wounded  in  its  tenderest 
part,  though  the  very  exercise  of  its  sweetness,  is 
repaid  with  insinuations,  with  threats,  with  open 
violence,  "  it  suftereth  long,  and  is  kind."  It  is 
kind  with  a  holy  sympathy  for  the  wants,  and  woes, 
and  faiUngs  of  a  poor  and  uninstructed  soul.  Yes, 
that  is  Christian  charity  !     Which  pleads  with  God 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  223 

for  the  soul  of  its  fiercest  enemy,  and  seeks  his 
good,  even  when  affiUation,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  case,  is  impossible. 

How  sweet  were  this  charity  to  overspread  the 
whole  extent  of  the  professing  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord !  Annihilating  confessions  of 
many  besetting  sins,  of  unholy  jealousies,  and  jeal- 
ousies in  the  high  places  of  Zion,  would  be  no 
more  ;  and  not  only  in  the  inner  consciousness, 
but  in  the  usual  arrangements  of  the  Church,  in  its 
external  and  internal  working  on  every  hand,  would 
be  seen  the  plain  indications  of  the  Lord's  pres- 
ence, and  the  holy  joy  of  a  heaven  begun. 

Beloved^  it  is  possible.  Every  saint  may  not  only 
hope  for,  but  may  now  have  that  love  which  "  is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  It  is  very  largely  included 
in  the  holy  promises  of  our  Covenant-keeping  God. 
The  possibility  of  its  attainment  is  seen  in  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the  living  Author 
of  the  heavenly  flame.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the 
very  life  and  self  of  Jesus  in  the  Church.  Jesus 
said,  "  He  that  loveth  me  shall  be  loved  of  my 
Father,  and  I  will  love  him  and  will  manifest  my- 
self to  him."  (John  xiv.  21.)  Now  the  Lord  does 
not  manifest  Himself  to  any  one  without  manifest- 
ing Himself  in  him.  He,  therefore,  who  gets  the 
Holy  Ghost,  may  have,  ought  to  have,  by  very  sim- 
ple faith,  this  holy,  self-abnegating  love  shed  abroad 
in  his  soul. 


2  24  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

There  are  three  words  of  Scripture  in  this  con- 
nection, of  great  force  in  the  encouragement  of 
those  who  desire  God's  marvellous  work  in  their 
souls.  Let  none  say  " it  cannot  be  done,"  "it  is 
not  for  me,"  "  it  belongs  to  those  who  have  made 
greater  advances  in  the  divine  Hfe."  For  it  belongs, 
by  divine  decree,  promise,  oath,  and  pledge,  to 
those  in  whose  hearts  He  "hath  begun  a  good 
work." 

Struggling  Christian,  I  call  your  attention  to 
these  three  words  which  will  assure  you  that  you 
cannot  do  the  work,  and  must  only  believe.  "  Will 
do  itr  Who  will  do  it?  "Faithful  is  He  that 
calleth  you,  who  also  will  do  it."  He  will  do  it. 
He  that  calleth  you,  "He  that  hath  promised." 
He  that ''is  faithful."  He  that  is  "  able  also  to 
perform."  "  He  that  is  holy.  He  that  is  true.  He 
that  hath  the  key  of  David,  He  that  openeth 
and  no  man  shutteth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man 
openeth."  He  "will  do  it."  This  promise  is  won- 
derfully illuminated  by  its  connection  with  the 
personal  promise  of  the  "  Author  and  Finisher  of 
our  faith."  "  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  my  name, 
I  will  do  it."  Now  the  Great  Promise  of  Jesus 
during  His  earthly  life  was  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  In  His  presence  with  the  Gospel  Church 
are  fulfilled  all  promises  of  spiritual  enlargement  to 
His  earthly  "  house."     By  the   Holy  Ghost  "  He 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  -  225 

will  make  a  way  to  escape."  "  He  will  stablish 
you  and  keep  you  from  evil." 

But  behold  the  open  door  to  all  His  holy  prom- 
ises, in  the  manifest  fact  that  He  will  do  what  He 
is  able  to  do,  for  all  who  believe  on  Him.  Do  not 
our  hearts  burn  within  us,  beloved,  while  He  opens 
to  us  the  Scriptures  ?  You  have  often,  it  may  be, 
regarded  the  love  of  which  we  have  been  writing, 
as  a  possession  out  of  your  reach.  But  if  it  be  an 
inworking  by  a  power  outside  of  you,  if  (being 
utterly  unable  to  do  it  yourself),  you  trust  that 
power,  which  is  infinitely  willing,  by  His  own  re- 
corded promises,  to  do  what  He  is  able  to  do  to 
meet  your  spiritual  wants,  do  you  not  see  that  by 
His  unrivalled  presence  in  your  heart  you  will, 
you  must,  be  filled  with  His  love  ?  Yea,  unspeaka- 
bly filled? 

My  precious  brother  or  sister  in  this  heavenly 
life,  doubt  no  more.  ^'- He  is  able,^  "  He  is  will- 
ing," "  He  will  do  itr  What  !  will  He  fill  your 
body  with  bread,  and  not  your  soul  with  love? 
Away  with  the  wicked  thought  of  His  unwillingness 
to  meet  the  farthest  reach  of  our  desires  according 
to  our  capacity.  He  has  "  not  brought  us  thus  far 
to  put  us  to  shame,"  nor  has  the  blessed  Holy 
Ghost  awakened  desires  which  cannot  be  gratified. 

Now  then,  in  respect  to  this  divine  charity, 
which  if  a  man  have  he  will  possess  every  other 
grace,  let  me  say  to  the  Christian  —  Expect  to  be 
15 


226  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

filled  with  it.  Set  your  mark  high  as  the  promise. 
"  Be  7iot  filled  with  wine  wherein  is  excess,  but  be 
filled  with  the  Spirit."  Do  not  say  to  me  —  "  when 
I  die."  While  you  live,  be  filled  with  the  Spirit. 
It  is  a  fearfiil  thing  to  think  that  God  will  not 
wholly  sanctify  us  till  we  die,  for  that  begets  unbe- 
lief in  the  power  and  willingness  of  God  to  make 
us  walk  in  his  marvellous  light,  while  the  promise 
and  the  fact  of  living  in  such  light  are  clearly  stated 
in  the  Word  of  God.  That  is  adding  to  and  taking 
from  the  Word  of  God  with  fearful  "wages."  Let 
us  then  be  filled  with  love. 

*'  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us."  That 
is  the  secret  of  all  power  and  of  all  confidence.  It 
saves  us  from  shame  in  cross-bearing,  and  is  the 
inward  basis  of  that  statement  of  holy  philosophy 
—  "  we  glory  in  tribulations  also  ;  knowing  that 
tribulation  worketh  patience ;  and  patience,  expe- 
rience ;  and  experience,  hope ;  and  hope  maketh 
not  ashamed."  This  is  thy  blessedness,  O  Chris- 
tian !  to  be  such  an  one  as  is  described  by  the  word, 
Love,  to  the  extent  of  your  present  capacities. 
Now,  then,  do  not  go  to  the  thirteenth  chapter  of 
I  St  Corinthians  to  see  how  well  you  will  look  when 
this  grace  fills  your  heart  and  life.  But  go  at  once 
to  Him  who  ^'■will  do  it,''  will  create,  energize, 
increase  it,  sustain  it  in  your  heart.  With  an  un- 
reserved  consecration  first  made  so  tJiat  you  can 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  22  7 

believe,  tnist  God  to  fill  you  with  Himself.  Con- 
secration of  all  you  have  and  are,  or  hope  to  have 
or  to  be,  takes  away  the  stones  from  the  highway 
over  which  -the  King  is  to  pass,  and  thus  His  way 
is  prepared  to  fill  your  heart  with  Himself. 

Beloved  people  of  our  God,  will  you  not  be  filled 
with  love  ?  Will  you  not  enter  that  happy  estate 
which  is  called  "heaven  below,"  and  which  many 
testify  is  their  present  portion  ?  "  He  will  do  it —  " 
how  ungrateful  to  criticize  the  promise,  the  fact, 
the  manner  of  His  working,  or  to  smile  as  Sarah 
did  at  the  wonder  which  was  presented  to  her. 
*'  No,  far  be  it  from  me,"  you  say.  "  He  shall  do 
all  His  pleasure,  He  shall  enter  my  heart  and  sup 
with  me,  and  I  with  Him."  And  so,  love,  which  is 
"  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,"  shall  reign  within  and 
upon  you.  "  God  is  love  ;  and  he  that  dwelleth 
in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  Him." 

Sixth.  Beloved,  who  have  entered  into  this  rest 
of  Sanctification  by  faith,  we  are  leading  a  Hidden 
Life.  Let  it  be  always  so.  For  He  is  "  able  to 
keep  us  from  falling." 

Intermissions  of  happy  experience  have  been  so 
much  the  rule  and  the  expectation,  that  among 
many,  faith  for  a  full  and  present  salvation  has  been 
made  void,  and  the  promises  of  none  or  of  little 
effect.  These  intermissions,  when  the  "wretched 
man"  experience  is  in  the  ascendancy,  are  opposed 
to  the  genius  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


928  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

The  true  expression  of  gospel  grace  in  the  Hfe  of  a 
beUever  is  that  of  spiritual  joy,  comfort,  blessed- 
ness. For  he  is  a  new  creature,  changed  from  the 
old.  He  is  a  holy  person  as  washed  by  the  Blood, 
and  attended  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

He  is  made  a  new  creature  for  a  new  Hiding- 
Place.  He  has  been  redeemed  that  he  may  be  the 
Lord's  and  may  live  in  the  Lord.  The  Lord  is  his 
house.  "  The  Lord  is  my  habitation,  whereunto  I 
continually  resort."  Before  he  is  fit  for  this  royal 
dwelling,  he  must  be  washed ;  so  the  Lord  has  pro- 
vided a  fountain  to  wash  in,  that  we  may  abide  in 
the  Palace  of  the  Lord's  presence.  A?id  this  is 
our  distinction.  We  live  in  the  best  part  of  the 
universe,  and  have  the  best  house  in  the  universe. 
How  little  the  worldly  nobles  in  wealth  and  out- 
ward estate  know  of  our  riches,  and  our  glory,  and 
our  eternity  !  They  may  think  we  are  poor,  but 
we  know  that  we  are  rich.  They  may  think  it  a 
poor  house  we  are  living  in,  but  we  know  that  mar- 
ble or  brown-stone  is  not  of  any  consequence  to 
us  —  our  earthly  residence  is  only  a  temporary 
shell.  It  is  not  our  home.  We  have  a  house  com- 
pared with  which  the  most  costly  and  extensive 
and  noblest  structures  on  earth  are  but  as  hovels. 
Our  house  is  where  our  citizenship  is,  whence  our 
conversation  is.  The  earthly  dwelling  only  our 
lodging-place  on  missionary  ground ;  the  life-home 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  229 

unseen,  unreached  by  fire,  or  sword,  or  any  dan- 
ger. 

Could  others  see  the  grandeur  of  our  life,  and  its 
home,  its  eternal  destiny,  its  ineffable  bliss,  they 
would  be  filled  with  the  utmost  dismay  in  the  midst 
of  their  marble  palaces  with  all  their  plenty ;  they 
would  seek  to  exchange  all  they  have  for  our  Por- 
tion. How  blind  they  must  be  to  think  for  a  mo- 
ment that  it  would  be  a  poor  exchange  !  Their 
house  can  pass  from  them,  ours  cannot  pass  from 
us.  They  can  and  must  pass  away  from  their  place, 
but  we  are  firmly  fixed.  Theirs  can  be  bought  with 
a  price  which  men  can  earn  ;  the  price  of  ours  was 
only  devised  in  the  councils  of  eternity,  and  only 
paid  with  the  most  costly  gift  of  the  Author  of  the 
universe.  Theirs  is  a  place  the  like  of  which  can 
be  found,  perhaps  better  —  some  may  even  desire 
to  improve  their  surroundings  by  removal ;  but  the 
like  of  our  house  cannot  be  seen ;  nor  is  there  any 
desire  to  leave  it.  While  men  can  easily  and  soon 
become  well  acquainted  with  their  most  intricate 
palaces,  ours  will  take  eternity  to  study  upon  with 
ever-increasing  delight,  in  view  of  Its  amplitude.  Its 
security,  Its  exceeding  great  glory.  For  the  richest 
palaces  of  men  were  made  with  hands,  but  ours 
was  never  made  ;  It  never  had  a  beginning,  and 
shall  never  have  an  end.  These  are  not  fancies. 
They  are  solid  truths,  on  which  our  souls  feed  with 
inexpressible  delight.     While   our   riches  and  our 


230  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

hopes  are  described  as  the  most  exalted  that  an  m- 
telHgent  being  could  desire,  it  is  a  very  present 
comfort  that  the  description  is  in  such  language  as 
both  large  and  small  capacities  can  accept  as  state- 
ments of  fact.  But  to  the  praise  of  God's  grace  it 
must  be  spoken,  that  our  eyes  have  been  opened 
to  see  these  things,  else  we  should  not  have  seen 
them  to  this  day. 

It  is  our  blessedness  to  see  a  fact  in  words  like 
these :  ''Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  Now 
if  the  body  lose  its  head  it  loses  its  life.  Christ  is 
our  Head,  and  therefore  "our  life."  We  have  life 
because  we  are  united  to  a  living  Head.  Our  eter- 
nal life  is  in  Him.  This  blessed  Jesus  once  came 
down  to  be  handled  by  cruel  men,  but  now  He  liv- 
eth,  and  none  can  do  anything  but  to  submit  to 
Him  or  be  ground  to  powder.  He  is  to  destroy 
all  enemies  under  His  feet.  If  our  life  is  precious 
to  Him  —  and  it  is,  for  He  thinks  enough  of  it  to 
hide  it  in  Himself  and  keep  it  for  Himself —  then 
none  can  ever  reach  it  to  mar  it.  For  He  is  in  the 
Godhead.  Satan  might  try  to  get  a  creature,  he 
might  hope  to  secure  an  archangel,  to  raise  a  rebel- 
lion once  among  His  equals,  but  the  swift  power 
of  Jehovah  hurled  him  into  fearful  perdition.  And 
our  Jehovah  Jesus  tried  him  even  when  He  Him- 
self had  taken  up  with  the  feeble  tabernacle  of  a 
man.  He  conquered  him  by  a  process  which  we 
cannot  fully  comprehend.     Beloved,  our  life  is  hid 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  23 1 

in  Jehovah  Jesus  !  It  is  hid  with  Him  in  the  God- 
head! 

Our  \i(e  being  hidden  indudes  its  secrecy.  Oth- 
ers may  tell  us  that  it  is  not  there ;  some  may  pro- 
fess to  doubt  whether  there  be  any  such  life,  or 
any  such  residence  for  it.  IVe  hiow  that  it  is 
there.  It  is  a  precious  secret  with  us.  The  se- 
cret is  threefold:  ist.  We  know  for  ourselves  that 
I/e  gave  us  our  new  life.  We  have  been  filled  with 
praise  ever  since,  for  most  of  us  can  tell  when  we 
received  the  precious  boon.  2d.  We  know  that 
we  now  have  the  life,  and  that  we  have  abundance. 
Let  men  and  devils  deride  us,  let  them  persecute 
us,  let  them  "  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  us 
falsely,"  we  know  that  we  are  now  living  in  the 
Lord.  3d.  We  know  that  our  life  in  Jesus,  He 
Himself  is  keeping,  that  we  may  enjoy  it  forever 
with  Him  in  glory.  We  know  this  because  He  has 
said  it,  and  because  our  enjoyment  of  His  keeping 
it  is  greater  than  could  reach  us  by  any  other  possi- 
bility. 

Our  life,  then,  is  one  which  is  kept  in  precious 
secret ;  not  indeed  so  that  others  cannot  see  it  if 
they  will  (for  the  fruit  of  holiness  must  be  appar- 
ent) ;  but  some  hate  it,  and  call  it  evil ;  from  their 
rude  touch  our  life  is  so  secret,  that  they  can  never 
produce  a  ripple  on  the  calm  sea  of  our  confidence. 
Beloved,  do  I  not  speak  to  them  that  know  the 
Gospel  ?     Do  you  not  know  that  your  life  is  hidden 


232  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

in  God  ?  Yes,  blessed  be  His  glorious  name.  We 
know  it  by  the  life-giving  streams  which  come  from 
our  living  Head,  by  the  soul  satisfaction  of  His 
presence  with  us  continually,  and  by  the  "  hidden 
manna  "  which  He  hath  already  supplied. 

That  is  a  good  hiding-place  which  Satan  cannot 
find.  He  knows  every  nook  and  corner  where 
men  lay  away  their  choicest  treasures,  but  into  this 
hiding-place  he  cannot  come,  nor  can  he  find  it. 
And  if  he  cannot  find  it  with  all  his  malicious  cun- 
ning who  or  what  else  can  ?  Our  security  may  be 
most  profound.  "  Let  us  not  cast  away  our  confi- 
dence." Now  we  have  sweet  rest  in  our  abiding- 
place.  What  disease  shall  we  fear  ?  What  years 
of  gloom  shall  we  fear?  What  losses  shall  we  fear? 
Does  not  Jesus  own  the  body?  Does  not  Jesus 
own  our  future  time  ?  Does  not  Jesus  own  our 
estate  ?  If  our  life  is  hid  in  Him,  are  not  all  these 
under  His  headship  ? 

Beloved  children  of  the  Most  High,  time  was 
when  I  used  to  fear  disease,  and  gloom,  and  loss, 
and  littleness.  But  after  preaching  in  such  un- 
worthy impressions  for  thirteen  years,  the  gracious 
Master  showed  me  where  my  life  was  hidden,  and 
I  said,  "Jesus,  these  are  thy  concerns;  I  yield  all 
to  Thee  —  my  life,  my  expectations,  my  darlings, 
my  all,  past,  present,  and  future."  Then  began  my 
rest.  It  was  a  rest  from  the  care  of  all  things 
which  had  given  me  trouble  outside  of  my  Hiding- 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  233 

Place.  The  Divine  Teacher  of  my  happy  Dwell- 
ing showed  me  things  unknown  before,  e.g.^  how  I 
could  be  saved  from  sins  which  had  troubled  me 
until  I  began  to  think  either  that  the  grace  of  God 
was  surprisingly  inefficient  for  the  work  of  my 
transformation,  or  that  I  had  never  known  the 
grace  of  God  at  all.  The  latter  I  could  not 
believe.  The  former  was  a  gnawing  worm.  In 
my  precious  Hiding-Place,  I  find  the  Blessed  Mas- 
ter taking  all  care  away  from  me.  He  assured  me 
that  He  would  destroy  these  works  of  the  Devil  in 
me,  and  He  did ;  so  that,  from  the  poor,  fearing, 
discouraged  soul  I  once  was,  I  became  rich,  and 
believing,  and  resting.  I  found  out  that  my  sanc- 
tification  was  in  the  Blood  and  Spirit,  and  not  at 
all  in  ray  own  efforts.  It  has  been  sweet  indeed 
to  let  Him  do  this  work  for  me,  while  my  all  absorb- 
ing enjoyment  has  been  to  be  hid  in  Jesus  and  see 
His  wonder-working.  The  years  which  have  fol- 
lowed have  been  "heaven  begun  below."  God 
knoweth  the  truth  of  what  1  write,  and  He  know- 
eth  that  I  write  it  but  to  tell  of  all  His  wondrous 
works.  You  know  He  says  to  us,  "Ye  are  my 
witnesses." 

With  what  delight  the  Church  may  live  this  hid- 
den-life I  Far  from  the  world,  and  near  to  God. 
Far  from  self,  in  God.  Far  from  struggling  to 
carry  the  work  of  God  along,  and  to  carry  self 
along  with  it,  "  resting  from  our  own  works  as  God 


234  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

did  from  His ! "  This  is  the  way  that  God  has 
provided  for  His  dear  people  to  live,  and  it  is  the 
only  way  that  becomes  them.  They  are  children 
of  a  king  —  it  is  proper  that  they  should  live  a  life 
entirely  beyond  the  comprehension  of  those  who 
have  nothing  to  do  with  royalty,  beyond  the  gaze 
of  those  who  merely  live  upon  the  surface  of  things 
and  in  the  present. 

Christian,  is  this  the  life  you  lead  ?  Do  I  hear 
the  answer,  "  No,  I  wish  I  could  have  such  an  ex- 
perience, but  I  have  tried  hard  to  enter,  and  can- 
not?" Then,  dear  one  in  the  Lord,  if  you  are  sure 
that  everything  is  laid  upon  the  altar,  it  may  be 
that  you  are  waiting  for  appearances,  or  for  further 
witness.  Wait  for  nothing ;  only  believe.  Why 
should  you  wait  for  appearances  of  the  heavenly 
life,  when  the  Lord  has  assured  you  of  it.  If  He 
says,  "  out  of  you  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water  " 
—  if  He  says  that  upon  our  believing  Him  we 
should  find  rest  unto  our  souls  —  it  must  be  so 
now  with  you.  Do  not  wait  to  seek  it ;  believe  it. 
In  gospel  language,  seeing  is  believing ;  our  eyes 
are  called  faith.  How  can  we  expect  to  see  with- 
out believing ;  the  appearance  is  not  the  witness 
of  God.  ''''He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God 
hath  the  witness  in  himself"  How  often  we  have 
said  to  poor  struggling  convicted  sinners,  "  Do 
nothing  —  only  believe  "  ! 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  235 

But,  beloved  Christian,  struggling  to  enter  into 
rest,  the  very  instruction  you  have  given  to  such 
is  the  great  sign-board  on  all  the  way  to  the  celes- 
tial city.  "  Do  nothing  —  only  believe."  Believe 
that  Jesus  brings  you  where  He  said  He  would, 
believe  you  are  in  the  place  where  He  has  made 
you  desire  to  remain,  believe  that  His  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises  are  fulfilled,  believe 
that  He  "  worketh  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  of  His 
good  pleasure,"  and  that  mightily.  According  to 
your  faith  it  shall  be  unto  you.  You  shall  indeed 
go  in  and  out  and  find  pasture. 

Let  it  be  your  habit,  dear  saint  of  the  Lord, 
since  the  Master  Himself  has  hid  your  life,  to  daily 
hide  everything  ivith  Him.  This  is  the  part  of  the 
work  you  are  to  do.  Let  everything  have  the 
mark  of  your  habitation  upon  it.  Call  not  your- 
self unclean,  whom  He  has  called  and  made  holy, 
and  let  nothing  be  with  you  which  will  not  have  a 
full  welcome  into  the  King's  Palace.  With  every- 
thing hidden  there,  you  shall  have  no  cares  fiom 
outside  ;  and  the  cares  of  those  inside  are  like  the 
cares  of  Eden.  They  "  are  careful  for  nothing,  but 
in  everything  by  prayer  and  thanksgiving  they 
make  their  requests  known  unto  God."  They  are 
all  hard  workers ;  there  is  no  idleness  among  the 
saints  in  the  gardens  which  their  Lord  has  given 
them  to  dress  and  to  keep,  but  their  spirits  may  be 
as  quiet   as    the  descending  dews.     Militant  but 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 


always  victorious,  always  they  "triumph  in  Christ," 
who  "  maketh  manifest  the  savor  of  His  knowledge 
by  them   in   every  place."     For   they   act   and 

FIGHT,    AND     SPEAK     FROM    THEIR    HiDING-PlACE. 


THE    REST   OF   FAITH.  237 


ILLUSTRATIONS    OF  THIS    SUBJECT   IN   THE    CASE 
OF  THE    NOBLEMAN   AND    HIS    SON. 

John  iv.  49,  50  :  "  The  nobleman  saith  unto 
Him,  Sir,  come  down  ere  my  child  die.  Jesus 
saith  unto  him,  Go  thy  way ;  thy  son  liveth.  And 
the  man  believed  the  word  that  Jesus  had  spoken 
unto  him,  and  he  went  his  way." 

This  record  is  remarkable  for  two  things :  i.  The 
peculiar  action  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  2.  The  simple 
faith  of  the  nobleman.  It  matters  not  who  he  was. 
Some  have  thought  he  was  Chuza,  Herod's  steward. 
Of  course  all  attempts  to  get  at  certainty  will  con- 
sume our  time  away  from  the  great  thoughts  that 
lie  hid  in  the  record.  More  than  that,  the  effort 
would  only  chain  us  down  to  the  letter,  and  thus 
keep  us  from  the  ^'  Spirit  which  giveth  life." 

This  man  came  to  Jesus  with  importunity,  and 
his  words  request  haste,  as  though,  if  He  did  not 
come,  the  spark  of  life  would  be  gone.  We  that 
have  had  our  darlings  laid  thus  low  know  some- 
thing of  the  intense  feeling  with  which  he  spoke. 
It  was  a  last  call  for  the  life  of  his  child.     When 


238  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

our  lambs  have  been  laid  low,  how  we  have  prayed 
for  them  !  This  man  knew  that  Jesus  exercised 
healing  power.  He  believed  that  He  was  an  in- 
fallible Physician.  Yes,  he  believed  more.  For 
he  believed  that  the  power  of  Jesus  exerted  from  a 
distance  was  enough  to  cure  this  most  desperate 
case  of  his  son. 

I.  The  Saviour's  answer  is  to  be  first  observed: 
*'Go  thy  way;  thy  son  liveth."  The  word  is 
spoken  as  that  of  a  commander  over  all  forces  and 
all  distances.  Jesus  knew  all  about  the  son  at  a 
distance,  and  controlled  all  the  forces  in  nature  at 
that  distance  to  the  breaking  of  the  fever  at  the 
very  hour  in  which  He  spoke. 

I.  In  this  answer  the  compassionate  Redeemer 
encouraged  the  faith  of  the  multitude.  He  would 
show  them  how  willing  He  was,  and  how  able,  to 
do  even  the  difficult  thing  that  was  asked  of  Him. 
His  short  words  were  with  power.  A  wave  of 
gladness  rolled  over  that  multitude  who  had  "come 
to  hear  Him,  and  to  be  healed  by  Him  of  their 
infirmities."  They  were  at  once  emboldened  to 
continue  near  Him.  At  once  their  doubts  van- 
ished, and  they  were  glad  to  wait,  and  enjoy  the 
wonderful  works  of  God.  One  of  them  was  saying 
to  another,  "  Oh  hear  the  dear  man !  He  commands 
the  disease  at  a  distance.  If  He  can  heal  this 
man's  child,  surely  He  can  heal  us  and  ours  who 
stand  in  His  presence." 


THE   REST   OF    FAITH.  239 

Let  us  take  the  Redeemer's  position.  Stand 
always  in  an  encouraging  attitude  toward  those 
with  whom  we  labor  or  among  v/hom  we  live. 
Payson  said,  "  The  man  who  wants  me  is  the  man 
I  want."  Let  all  freely  come  to  you.  Open  the 
heart  of  love,  and  let  the  disconsolate  and  the  poor 
and  needy  in,  to  hear  the  words  of  life  and  comfort, 
and  to  receive  out  of  your  fulness  the  gifb  which 
God  means  you  shall  bestow,  Jesus  thus  shows 
His  compassion  now.  He  does  not  ask  any  to 
believe  without  testimony.  His  witnesses  are  all 
abroad.  These  witnesses  have  a  special  commission 
to  invite  all  to  come  to  Him.  There  is  nothing  so 
well  authenticated  as  His  message ;  there  is  noth- 
ing so  warm  and  hearty  as  His  invitation ;  nothing 
so  sure  as  His  ability  and  willingness ;  nothing  so 
fully  set  in  the  passage  of  time  as  His-  wonderwork- 
ing fulfilment  of  all  His  promises ;  of  the  witnesses 
of  His  might,  none  so  intelligent,  none  so  happy 
and  glad  to  testify  of  His  power  to  save  "  to  the 
uttermost." 

Ye  that  have  anything  to  do  in  yourselves  or 
your  families  which  requires  more  than  man,  come 
freely  unto  Jesus  Christ.  As  He  encouraged  these 
Galileans,  so  He  has  encouraged  you  to  come. 
Come  and  ask  His  love.  Come  and  ask,  first  of 
all,  ask  Himself  For  if  He  dwell  within  you,  you 
shall  know  what  to  ask  of  Him  further,  and  you 


240  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

shall  know  that  whatsoever  you  ask  according  to 
His  will  He  heareth  you." 

2.  In  this  answer,  see  Who  we  have  to  trust. 
He  appeared  a  man  of  sorrows.  Very  possibly 
upon  the  look  of  His  face  there  was  an  appearance 
of  deep  thought.  But  He  commanded  winds,  and 
sea,  and  devils,  and  diseases, '  and  they  obeyed 
Him.  He  knew  all  things.  They  never  uttered  a 
subject  but  He  was  fully  conversant  with  it,  and 
overcame  them  with  the  fulness  of  His  answers. 
They  thought  themselves  wise  in  their  undeveloped 
and  foolish  science.  He  knew  all  the  then  unwritten 
and  the  yet  unwritten  books.  He  knew  the  earth 
was  round,  but  if  He  had  said  it  they  would  have 
made  it  a  special  accusation  against  Him,  and 
would  have  made  it  a  ground  of  His  crucifixion, 
though  now  our  babes  know  it.  Here  He  com- 
manded the  influences  about  this  child  at  a 
distance,  and  He  knew  them.  Nor  was  it  with 
Him  a  vision,  for  as  it  is  written,  "  He  knew  all 
things."  The  deep  passages  of  science  which  in 
their  turn  have  entranced  the  greatest  minds  were 
altogether  known  unto  Him.  For  He  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth,  and  in  thought  and  being 
travelled  the  fields  of  illimitable  space  ;  in  thought, 
I  say,  as  a  man,  in  Being  as  God.  To  Him  all 
the  philosophers  of  the  ages  were  but  as  babes. 

Oh  how  glad  I  am  that  my  precious  Jesus  did 
not  put  His  ministers  to  the  task  of  assigning  Him 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  24! 

a  place,  or  as  one  says,  "elaborating  a  theory  re- 
specting the  personal  rank  of  their  Master  in  the 
scale  of  being.  On  the  contrary  He  Himself  per- 
sistently asserts  the  real  character  of  His  position 
relatively  to  God  and  man,  and  of  His  consequent 
claims  upon  the  thought  and  heart  of  mankind. 
Whether  He  employs  metaphor  or  plain  assertion, 
His  meaning  is  too  clear  to  be  mistaken.  He 
speaks  of  Himself  as  the  Light  of  a  darkened 
world,  as  the  Way  by  which  man  may  ascend  to 
heaven,  as  the  Truth  which  can  really  satisfy  the 
cravings  of  the  soul,  as  the  Life  which  must  be 
imparted  to  all  who  would  live  in  very  deed,  to  all 
who  would  really  live  forever.  Life  is  resident  in 
Him  in  virtue  of  an  undefined  and  eternal  commu- 
nication of  it  from  the  Father.  He  is  the  '  Bread 
of  Life.'  He  points  to  a  living  water  of  the  Spirit 
which  he  can  give,  and  which  can  quench  the  thirst 
of  souls  that  drink  it.  He  is  in  Himself  the  one 
Good  Shepherd  of  the  souls  of  men.  He  is  the 
Vine,  the  Life-Tree  of  regenerate  humanity.  He 
claims  to  be  Lord  of  the  realm  of  death.  He  will 
Himself  wake  the  sleeping  dead.  He  will  raise 
Himself  from  the  dead.  He  encourages  men  to 
trust  Him  as  they  trust  God ;  to  honor  Him  as 
they  honor  the  Father"  {Liddon's  Bampton  Lec- 
tures. ) 

His  commandments  are  to  be  obeyed  as  those 
that  were  uttered  from  Sinai. 

16 


242  THE    REST   OF    FAITM. 

This  gracious,  Omnipotent,  Omnipresent,  Om- 
niscient Redeemer  does  not  need  from  my  hands 
the  assertion  of  any  theory  respecting  His  power 
to  save.  My  soul  rests  on  Him  as  in  His  word 
presented  —  my  Lord,  my  Life,  my  Jehovah -Jesus. 
Ah  what  power  there  is  in  His  Word !  "Go  thy 
way;  thy  son  Hveth."  As  a  word  of  knowledge. 
He  knew  that  the  fever  broke  at  His  word ;  as  a 
word  of  power,  He  did  it.  He  commanded,  and 
the  sick  body  of  the  child  stood  firm  in  life.  Ye 
dear  and  precious  readers,  do  you  know  what  a 
Lord  you  have  ?   and  do  you  believe  Him  as  such  ? 

Let  us  take  example  from  this  nobleman.  This 
was  only  the  second  recorded  miracle;  yet  this 
man  acted  as  if  he  had  heard  of  many.  We  have 
heard  and  we  have  seen  many.  Ho7v  many  mira- 
cles of  grace  we  have  seen  !  what  miracles  of  grace 
we  are  !     Therefore  let  us  consider  — 

II.  The  simple  faith  of  this  nobleman. 

I.  He  took  Jesus  at  His  word.  "  Go  thy  way  : 
thy  son  liveth  ;  and  the  man  believed  the  word  that 
Jesus  spake  to  him,  and  he  went  his  way."  How 
refreshing  to  see  a  man  take  Jesus  just  as  He  said  ! 
Men  are  sometimes  very  tender  upon  this  point. 
But  they  are  not  tender  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 
They  do  not  like  their  own  truthfulness  questioned, 
but  they  are  very  far  from  taking  Jesus  at  His  word. 
But  this  man  made  not  a  single  question.  It  was 
an  instant  faith. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  243 

He  rested  on  the  word  which  Jesus  had  spoken, 
as  though  it  were  the  Rock  of  Truth.  And  so  it 
was.  The  Word  of  the  Lord  was  and  is  the  most 
solid  of  all  things,  for  His  Word  made  all  things. 
There  is  nothing  so  real  as  the  Word  of  God.  "  By 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and 
all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  His  mouth." 

Therefore,  if  Jesus  has  spoken  anything,  you  have 
no  right  to  doubt  it.  If  Jesus  says,  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  shall  be  saved,"  then,  believing  soul,  you 
have  no  right  to  doubt  your  salvation.  I  am  met 
here  with  the  answer,  "  I  do  not  doubt  my  Saviour, 
but  I  doubt  myself"  That  is  right,  beloved  ;  then 
you  must  believe  you  are  saved.  "  No,  I'm  afraid 
I  don't  believe."  Well,  beloved,  who  then  can  only 
remedy  that  evil  ?  Jesus  —  He  alone.  Now,  has 
He  not  said,  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in 
nowise  cast  out  ?  "  Him  that  cometh  for  what  ? 
Why,  to  get  all  these  things,  these  fruits  of  the 
Spirit,  these  greatest  treasures  God  has  to  give. 
Have  you  come  to  Jesus  ?  Then,  if  you  do  not 
doubt  Him,  you  do  believe  He  receives  you,  and 
that  He  gives  His  Holy  Spirit  to  you,  and  that  The 
Gracious  Spirit  works  faith  in  you. 

FAITH    IS    BEFORE    AND    ABOVE    ALL   WORKS. 

I.  A  work-religion  always  has  failed,  and  always 
will  fail.  It  failed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  even 
where  Adam  had  all  power  to  serve  God.    It  is  not 


244  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

strange,  therefore,  that  in  this  day  we  should  find 
that  works  will  Jiot  comfort  in  the  great  emergencies 
of  life  ;  for  God  has  said  "  Believe."  That  is  God's 
order  for  every  one. 

Firsts  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness, 
is  to  be  received  by  faith. 

I  St.  For  all  new  converts  to  the  religion  \  believ- 
ing before  baptism,  aye,  believing  before  pleasing 
God.  "  What!  should  I  not  try  to  please  God?  " 
This  is  pleasing  to  God  —  the  work  of  God,  the 
way  of  God —  "  That  ye  believe  on  Him  whom  He 
hath  sentr 

This  has  been  needful  in  every  case,  and  in  every 
true  case  of  faith  must  have  been  observed.  Abra- 
ham did  not  go  up  Mount  Moriah  in  obedience  to 
the  command  before  he  believed.  It  would  then 
have  been  a  sad  journey,  and  his  answer  to  Isaac 
about  the  sacrificial  lamb  would  have  been  spoken 
in  indescribable  agony.  He  went  up  believing  ;  and 
so  his  obedience  was  that  of  a  child,  a  comfortable 
obedience. 

2.  There  is  therefore  a  reasonableness  about  this 
order  of  God.  Faith  must  be  first  for  the  comfort 
of  the  worker,  and  for  his  security,  (i)  For  his 
comfort,  so  that  the  doings  of  his  life  may  wear  the 
aspect  and  be  really  the  work  of  a  loving  child. 
(2)  And,  beloved,  faith  preceding  our  work,  is 
the  only  reasonable  security  we  have.  If  Adam 
failed  we  shall,  unless  we  have  hold  of  The  Al- 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  245 

mighty.  And  it  is  the  work  of  faith  to  take  hold  of 
Him.  God  says  in  His  commandment,  "  Do  this." 
Looking  at  our  weakness,  we  should  say,  "  Lord,  it 
is  utterly  impossible  to  do  it."  But  we  remember 
at  once,  that  believing  is  before  doing ;  and  so  we 
betake  ourselves  to  the  Fountain  of  eternal  strength. 
We  believe  that  He  will  enable  us  to  perform.  We 
do  perform  by  faith.  This  is  the  only  way  to  live 
according  to  the  command.  Wfe  have  Christ  now 
in  the  command.  It  is  not  a  mere  Mosaical  pre- 
cept, to  be  kept  in  mind  by  confessions  of  our  ina- 
bility to  fulfil,  and  bloody  sacrifices  to  remind  us  of 
the  necessity  of  fulfilment. 

Christ  is  "  the  end  of  The  Law  for  righteousness  " 
now.  If  we  were  left  to  fulfil  it  ourselves,  we  could 
not  at  all ;  but  if  Jesus  resides  within,  if  He  gives 
strength  and  life  from  the  dead,  it  is  full  salvation. 
And  so  we  now  look,  not  to  the  commandment,  that 
we  may  fulfil  it ;  but  to  Christ,  that  He  may  fulfil  it 
in  us.  It  is  thus  that  faith  secures  us.  Faith  before 
obedience,  secures  obedience.  Faith  before  doing, 
secures  the  power  to  will  and  to  do,  that  we  may 
stand  complete  in  all  the  will  of  God.  It  is  thus 
that  faith  secures  us  in  a  present  salvation.  To  a 
soul  that  believes  fully  in  The  Word  of  the  Lord, 
there  is  no  need  of  absence  from  the  body  to  enjoy 
heavenly  things,  and  to  live  in  the  continuous  en- 
joyment of  them.  For  Faith  receives,  according  to 
His   promise,  ^'' and  grace  for  graced     The  first 


246  LHE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

requisite,  therefore,  for  a  soul  to  enjoy  heaven 
below,  to  be  secure  and  happy,  is  P'aith  in  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

It  may  be  seen  in  His  own  descriptions  in  the 
Sixth  of  JMatthew. 

"  Wliich  of  you  by  taking  thought  can  add  one 
cubit  unto  his  stature."  All  your  work  to  that  end 
will  produce  no  result.  God  will  see  to  it  that  we 
have  the  right  stature.  We  7nay  believe  for  that,  we 
may  rest  in  Him  with  confidence  that  our  stature 
will  best  subserve  the  interests  of  His  kingdom. 

Again,  "  Why  take  ye  thought  for  raiment  ? 
Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field  how  they  grow  ;  they 
toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin."  "  If  God  so  clothe 
the  grass  of  the  field  •  •  •  shall  He  not  much  more 
clothe  you  ?  "  Then  Jesus  says,  "  Take  ?io  thought^* 
about  things  to  eat,  and  things  to  drink,  and  cloth- 
ing. "  Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow."  Jesus 
does  not  say  that  a  man  should  be  idle,  should  not 
work.  But  above  all  your  work  He  says,  ^'Believer 
Do  not  have  such  a  mistaken  idea  about  God's 
supply,  as  to  suppose  that  your  crowding  care  and 
anxiety  and  unrest  are  going  to  get  it  for  you,  or  to 
help  you  labor  for  it.  But  first  of  all  "  Believe." 
Seek  the  kingdom  first  \i.  e.  "believe"].  When  you 
believe  God,  your  labor  will  be  without  care.  You 
will  not  labor  as  a  slave  to  a  certain  end,  the  labor 
being  the  end  of  your  enjoyment ;  but  you  will  labor 
with  a  happy  prospect,  assured   that  whether  the 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  247 

labor  be  much  or  little,  profitable  or  unprofitable, 
the  trade  good  or  bad,  our  provisions  are  fixed,  and 
our  full  supply,  spiritual  and  temporal,  as  certain 
as  the  existence  of  God. 

3.  The  only  bar  to  such  an  exalted  enjoyment  is 
unbelief.  Unbelief,  which  doubts  the  word  and 
work  and  Person  and  relations  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  to  His  Father,  and  to  us.  Unbelief  puts  the 
lie  on  God,  and  leads  men  therefore  inevitably  to 
sorrow  and  gloom,  as  it  must  and  ought.  Would 
you,  then,  commence  any  work  ?  Do  not  begin  to 
do  before  you  believe  ;  else  by  and  by  you  shall,  like 
Nebuchadnezzar,  be  saying  in  the  pride  of  your 
heart,  "  Is  not  this  the  great  thing  which  /  have 
done  ?  " 

Would  you  commence  any  day  aright,  with 
the  possibility  and  probability  of  pleasant  and  use- 
ful issues?  Commence  it  believing.  Look  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  sweetly, 
believingly,  unshrinkingly  take  His  promises  for  the 
day,  as  the  needs  come  and  go,  as  the  varying  cir- 
cumstarujes  may  require  ;  assured  (for  simple  faith 
is  assurance)  that  His  mighty  hand  shall  work  with- 
in you,  around  you,  in  the  heavens  over  you,  in  the 
earth  beneath  you,  in  devils  to  restrain  and  to 
quench  their  darts,  in  men  to  conform  them  to  His 
promises,  in  angels  that  their  ministrations  may  be 
timely,  in  all  elements,  that  wind  and  tide  and 
weather  may  best  subserve  the  plan  by  which  He 


248  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

condescends  to  make  the  most  of  your  life.  Oh  ! 
beheve.  Only  believe.  Believe  now.  Keep  on 
believing,  that  God  will  do  as  He  said,  and  as 
these  bird  and  lily  lessons  of  Jesus  in  the  Sixth  of 
Matthew  plainly  promise.  It  is  the  only  consistent 
action  for  Christians,  and  the  opposite  makes  us 
too  low  for  description.  For  who  but  devils  would 
dare  to  put  the  lie  on  God  ? 

The  great  error  of  poor  fallen  htmianity  is  antici- 
pation. Not  the  anticipation  of  faith,  but  of  works, 
and  of  sense,  and  of  earthly  powers.  In  fact,  faith 
has  no  anticipations  that  engage  the  will  of  the 
creature.  It  has  enjoyments  which  are  like  in  kind 
to  those  which  shall  be  hereafter.  But  it  knows 
nothing  of  calculating  the  future,  save  to  leave  it 
to  Him  Who  controls. 

Men  of  this  world  —  how  universally !  —  anticipate 
the  fruitage  of  plans,  and  of  confidence  in  men,  and  of 
stratagem.  They  build  airy  castles,  which,  as  they 
have  nothing  more  to  support  them  than  air,  re- 
quire no  more  than  a  single  breath  to  dash  their 
fair  proportions  into  oblivion.  Many  a  man  is 
waiting  impatiently  for  an  estate  ;  and  sometimes 
waiting  in  an  extravagant  disappointment  that  some 
one  does  not  die,  whose  life  is  the  only  hindrance 
to  his  own  possession  of  a  fortune.  Chancery 
swallows  many  a  hope  thus  founded  on  the  sand. 

There  are  fond  mothers  and  fathers  to-day  who 
are  sowing  the  seeds  of  bitter  disappointment  for 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  249 

the  future.  They  are  clinging  to  their  darlings  as 
though  they  would  live  forever.  They  look  with 
fondness  upon  the  face,  they  stop  to  adinire  the 
step,  the  beauty,  and  grace  of  their  own  offspring, 
as  if  calculating  upon  the  rich  payment  they  shall 
have  by  and  by  for  all  their  toil  and  care.  Ah ! 
they  have  brought  up  children  for  themselves,  and 
by  and  by  God  may  claim  them.  But  then  the 
war  will  commence.  "  That  child  was  mine,"  shall 
say  the  disappointed  parents ; "  why  should  the  Al- 
mighty rob  me  of  my  pet  lamb  ?  "  "  Nay,"  shall 
God  answer  their  helpless  disappointment.  *'  Ye 
knew  the  child  was  lent  —  was  mine,  and  ye  antici- 
pated your  own  schemes  in  its  life.  I,  the  Lord, 
have  taken  no  more  than  was  my  own.  If  such 
airy  castle-builders  had  only  proceeded  on  the  plan 
of  faith  —  if  they  had  believed  God  would  do  best, 
and  brought  and  consecrated  their  all  and  their 
darlings  to  God,  their  whole  course  of  action  would 
have  been  changed,  and  the  fearful  falHng  out  with 
God  and  His  ways  could  never  have  occurred. 

But  some  parent  or  possessor  of  dear  treasures 
tells  me,  "  I  cannot  believe  —  I  cannot  let  the 
future  thus  alone  ;  that  would  be  unearthly.  I  can- 
not ;  do  not  ask  me  so  unreasonably  to  believe." 
Beloved,  if  you  cannot  thus  believe,  there  is  some- 
thing in  the  way.  You  are  not  in  a  condition  to 
believe,  and  your  unfitness  is  for  your  own  remedy. 
It  is  a  Pharisaical  difficulty.     It  is  the  boon  of  self 


250  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

that  must  be  thrown  away,  and  self  laid  on  the  altar 
of  the  Lord.  The  Pharisees  could  not  believe,  be- 
cause they  "  received  honor  one  of  another."  They 
selfishly  attended  to  their  own  honor,  as  many  un- 
believers selfishly  calculate  upon  their  treasures. 
Let  that  which  is  in  the  way  of  simple  faith  there- 
fore be  laid  down  at  Jesus'  feet.  Vea,  your  all. 
You  are  too  rich  if  you  own  anything  which  is  not 
specifically  given  to  Jesus. 

THE     PRIMARY    IDEA   OF    FAITH     IS   THAT    WE    HAVE 
NOTHING,   AND   THAT   WE    CAN   DO   NOTHING. 

I.  We  cannot  do  anything  to  please  God.  Ev- 
ery attempt  at  pleasing  God  will  be  a  failure  with- 
out faith.  So  God  says.  We  cannot  think  a  good 
thought,  for  our  minds  are  corrupted  by  sin.  Who 
can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  What 
pure  thoughts  can  come  from  an  impure  mind  ? 
As  well  expect  a  draught  of  sweet  water  from  a 
bitter  fountain. 

They  do  tell  us  of  unregenerated  persons  who 
are  noble,  disinterested,  and  who  are  exceptions  to 
what  we  say.  I  answer  that  I  have  never  been 
able,  and  hope  never  to  be  able,  to  resist  the  wis- 
dom of  God.  He  says,  "Without  Me  ye  can  do 
nothing."  And  therefore  I  conclude  that  a  Christ- 
less  soul,  however  he  may  please  men,  cannot 
please  God,  and  that  all  his  thoughts  will  be  found 
in  some  way  mingled  with  self  and  sin. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  25 1 

And  if  we  cannot  think  a  good  thought,  of  course 
we  cannot  do  a  good  act ;  that  is,  an  act  which 
will  please  God.  We  may  build  palaces  which  in 
their  proportions  will  be  matchless.  We  may  set 
steamers  of  incomparable  beauty,  safety,  and  speed 
upon  all  waters ;  we  may  charm  society  with  our 
music,  may  hold  vast  numbers  upon  the  gaze  at 
our  flights  of  eloquence ;  may  hide  religion  in  the 
dazzling  glow  of  our  external  morality,  and  yet  be 
utterly  unable  to  please  the  eternal  God.  He  says 
so.  "Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.'^ 
"The  carnal  [/.  €•.,  the  Christless]  mind  is  enmity 
against  God,  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God, 
neither  indeed  can  be."  Vain  man,  empty  mind, 
to  stand  before  God  without  the  love  of  Christ,  and 
expect  to  think,  or  say,  or  do  anything  which  can 
merit  the  favor  of  God,  or  in  full  or  in  part  pay 
for  salvation  !  Such  people  are  trusting  in  refuges 
of  lies.  God's  Word  declares  it,  and  woe  to  the 
minister  who  lets  down  the  truth  which  is  built 
upon  the  Rock  of  Ages.  As  we  can  do  nothing  to 
merit  salvation,  therefore  let  us  try  to  do  nothing  to 
merit  salvation,  but  only  believe,  "•looking  unto  Je- 
sus." 

BELOVED  FRIENDS,  WE  ARE  AS  POOR  AS  POOR 
CAN  BE. 

2.  We  have  nothing.  It  is  the  only  calculation 
of  true  faith.     We  do  not  come  to  the  throne  in 


252  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

any  partnership  with  "  Laodicean  spirits."  To  the 
Church  of  Laodicea  God  said,  "Because  thou 
sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and 
have  need  of  nothing ;  and  knowest  not  that  thou 
art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  bUnd, 
and  naked  :  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried 
in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich;  and  white 
raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the 
shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear ;  and  anoint 
thine  eyes  with  eyesalve,  that  thou  mayest  see." 

The  plan  on  which  we  go  to  buy  gold  and  rai- 
ment of  God  is  not  on  the  humanitarian  line,  but 
on  that  of  the  poor.  By  nature  men  are  nothing 
short  of  beggars  of  God,  though  His  bounty  makes 
them  princes.  "  Come  and  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money  and  without  price. ^'  Come  and  have 
it  for  nothing  because  of  your  deep  poverty.  My 
dying  reader,  Jesus  takes  us  in  a  very  reduced  con- 
dition. All  the  strength  of  our  original  constitution 
is  sapped,  all  our  beauty  is  fled.  What  few  frag- 
ments of  righteousness  are  held  is  but  "  filthy  rags." 

Men  put  the  lie  on  this,  but  they  are  helpless 
after  all.  For  however  they  awhile  may  build 
house  to  house,  and  multiply  field  to  field,  the  time 
must  soon  come  —  soon  as  a  weaver's  shuttle  — 
when  no  art,  nor  wisdom,  nor  device  can  save  the 
body  from  a  decaying  heap  of  bones,  and  the  beau- 
tiful, intelligent  human  face  from  its  skeleton  skull. 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  253 

"Wliose,  then,  shall  these  things  be  which  thou 
possessest  ?  "     Ah,  poor  man,  thou  hast  nothing  ! 

And  of  time  what  hast  thou,  but  that  which  can 
be  placed  upon  the  point  of  a  cambric  needle  ? 
Only  the  present  passing  moment.  The  dreams  of 
the  future  are  nothing  but  idle  plays  of  fancy.  We 
have  no  future. 

And  here  is  one  secret  of  the  riches  of  faith.     It 

HAS  NO    FUTURE.       GOD    IS    ITS    FUTURE.       SiuCC  WC 

can  do  nothing,  and  since  we  have  nothing  with 
which  to  please  God,  faith  receives  salvation  as  a 
free  gift.  And  as  the  gift  is  coming  through  pass- 
ing time,  it  receives  it  by  the  moment.  God's  gifts 
are  j?wment  by  moment  to  believers.  The  living 
Christian,  then,  lives  only  at  one  point  of  time  — 
the  present  moment.  His  is  not  the  error  of  antici- 
pating. 

"To-morrow,  Lord,  is  thine, 

Lodgdl  in  thy  Sovereign  hand. 
And  if  its  sun  arise  and  shine 
It  shines  by  thy  command." 

Men  think  it  great  poverty  to  be  reduced  to  a 
single  moment ;  but  it  is  really  exceeding  great 
riches.  It  is  the  true  position  of  a  dying  man  in 
contradistinction  from  a  false  and  untrue  view  of 
life. 

Let  us  look  at  the  comfort  of  having  no  future. 
When  we  have  given  up  all  the  future  to  God  (for 
this  is  what  I  mean),  all  hopes  of  the  future  are  laid 


254  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

up  in  God ;  we  have  no  hopes  outside  of  God's 
will,  and,  therefore,  we  cannot  be  disappointed. 
That  is  the  greatest  of  all  human  blessings.  Free- 
dom from  disappointment  is  greater  riches  than  the 
possession  of  worlds.  Disappointment  is  heart- 
ache, heart-sickness  ;  but  the  waiting  for  the  Lord's 
future  is  blessedness.  "  They  that  wait  upon  the 
Lord  shall  renew  their  strength ;  they  shall  mount 
up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  be 
weary,  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint."  When  God 
has  our  future,  we  have  no  plans  to  fail,  no  schemes 
to  put  through  on  an  independent  line  of  our  own 
will,  but  are  supremely  satisfied  with  God's  order- 
ing of  our  life.  I  do  not  mean  that  there  are  no 
pangs.  It  is  blessed  to  have  God  so  order  the 
pangs  that  are  consequent  upon  our  earthly  lot, 
that  we  know  infallibly  that  each  one  of  them  is  in 
its  best  time  for  the  development  of  our  glory  in 
Christ  Jesus.  And  there  is  a  test  in  the  will  of 
God  supremely  sweet. 

I  do  not  mean  that  such  living  Christians  cease 
to  exert  mental  and  manual  skill.  I  do  not  mean 
that  there  are  no  Christian  inventors  —  none  who 
plan  for  the  prosperity,  happiness,  usefulness  of  our 
race.  Not  at  all.  These  very  men  who  yield  their 
all  and  their  future  to  God  may  be  the  best  of 
bank-directors,  steamship  builders  and  controllers, 
presidents,  governors,  senators.  I  have  yet  to  learn 
that  a  saintly  man  is  unable  to  keep  a  driving  busi- 


THE    REST    OF    FAITH.  255 

ness  for  God ;  to  make  money  for  God,  to  build 
houses  for  God,  plant  fields,  cut  down  forests,  settle 
communities,  make  history,  and  all  for  God  and 
His  Christ.  When  all  have  a  pious  regard  and  de- 
light in  the  will  of  God,  and  have  laid  up  their  own 
future  in  God,  we  shall  have  safer  banks,  and  safer 
buildings,  more  reliable  ocean  travel,  and  better 
public  men.  Because  they  will  all  be  unselfish^  and 
sweetly  set  in  the  will  of  God ;  rulers  and  people 
walking  together  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the 
comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  will  leave  their 
employment  at  the  will  of  God  for  other,  abler,  or 
for  God's  chosen  hands. 

That  is  what  men  need.  For  when  the  future  is 
all  given  up  —  the  last  strand  of  earthly  holdings 
broken  —  we  are  on  full  sail  for  the  heavenly  land 
under  heavenly  breezes.  No  more  fears  of  the 
future,  fears  of  poverty,  of  sickness,  of  failure,  of 
sorrow.  Fears  all  gone.  "  Perfect  love  casteth  out 
fear." 

Beloved,  we  here  see  how  faith  in  God,  trust  in 
Him,  yielding  up  all  to  Him,  is  the  work  of  God. 
If  man  would  do  that  work,  it  must  be  by  faith. 
This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe. 

This  simple  faith  is  beautiful  in  the  case  of  the 
nobleman.  ''The  man  believed  the  word  that 
Jesus  had  spoken  unto  him,  and  he  went  his  way." 

I  call  your  attention  to  — 


256  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 


THE      nobleman's      EXAMPLE      BEFORE     THE     MUL- 
TITUDE. 

It  was  good.  They  saw  a  pattern  for  their  own 
action.  Jesus  honored  his  faith,  for  this  very  oc- 
currence has  gone  forth  as  an  illustration  of  faith. 
Some  mother,  perhaps,  had  a  babe  there  over  whom 
she  had  nursed  and  watched  with  intensity ;  she 
hears  the  nobleman's  entreaty,  she  hears  the  answer 
of  Jesus;  but  never  having  seen  Jesus  do  miracles, 
only  having  heard  of  one,  she  did  not  know  His 
spirit.  This  nobleman's  action  makes  her  confi- 
dent. The  nobleman's  quick  relief  in  spirit  taught 
her  to  receive  the  word  of  Jesus  with  the  same  con- 
fidence. Her  own  pleasure  in  anticipating  the 
cure  of  her  child  approaches  the  enjoyment  of  the 
fact  itself 

In  like  manner,  beloved  Christian,  your  hearty 
reception  of  Christ  in  all  His  offices,  and  your 
trusting,  resting  spirit,  encourages  every  other 
Christian  in  the  like  trust.  The  opposite  discour- 
ages weak  souls,  it  gives  slanderers  room  to  talk 
and  prate  about  what  they  will  call  the  ineffectual 
grace  of  Christ,  and  stands  as  a  dishonor  in  His 
Church. 

The  principal  manner  of  Jesus'  work  now  is  in 
the  dispensation  of  His  grace.  The  action  of  true 
faith  — 

(i.)   Is  prompt,  receiving  the  promises,  enjoying 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 


25?9 


them ;  not  going  about  with  a  sad  countenance. 
A  sad  countenance  from  any  unsatisfied  want  in 
Jesus,  is  dishonoring  to  Him. 

(2.)  The  action  of  true  faith  being  prompt  loses 
no  time.  It  does  not  have  to  wait.  It  is  ready 
for  business,  for  true  pleasure,  or  for  death.  As 
soon  as  this  man  had  received  his  request  of  Jesus, 
he  believed  and  went  his  way.  He  was  ready  for 
all  his  engagements. 

In  addition  to  the  prompt  faith,  illustrated  in  the 
case  of  the  nobleman,  it  were  well  to  stop  and  ask 
the  Gospel  reader  if  we  personally  have  not  re- 
ceived a 

"ministry  to  testify." 

Paul  said  he  had  a  "  ministry  to  testify."  "  Nei- 
ther count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I 
might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  a7id  the  ministry, 
which  I  have  received  oi  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God."  (Acts  xx.  24.) 
Shall  anything  keep  us  from  this  testimony?  Yea, 
rather,  shall  not  the  greatness  of  our  redemption 
raise  us  up  to  the  third  heaven  of  desire  to  declare 
the  amazing  grace  ?  O  Lord  Jesus,  lay  the  minis- 
try to  testify  upon  each  one  of  thy  saints,  that  we 
may  tell  the  story  with  true  effect. 

We  shall  find  that  testimony  is  contagious. 
Some  of  you  know  a  place  (The  Palmer  Meet- 
ing) where  the  giving  of  testimony  is  like  a  silver 

17 


258  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

tide  which  rolls  in  glory  over  the  people.  You 
could  scarcely  weary  in  that  place,  for  time  is 
ended.  Hours  pass  as  moments,  while  the  Lord's 
sweet  little  ones  tell  what  He  hath  done  for  their 
souls.  I  would  that  eveiy  reader  had  the  spirit  of 
that  meeting. 

Now  it  is  very  true  that  all  cannot  preach,  but 
all  can  be  witnesses.  Here  is  the  glory  of  the  gos- 
pel, that  the  poorest,  the  feeblest,  the  most  illiterate 
of  the  flock  may  freely  speak  out  of  a  shining  heart. 
And  their  simplicity  will  often  exceed  the  learning 
of  the  wise.  Indeed,  the  wise  can  only  give  in  this 
testimony  as  they  become  little  ones.  The  worldly 
wise,  the  self-wise,  have  no  such  privilege.  Their 
wisdom  must  all  be  laid  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  they 
must  be  simple  enough  to  let  their  hearts  flow  to- 
gether with  all  the  elect.  When  they  all  consent  to 
become  little  and  unknown,  to  let  the  Lord  work  in 
His  own  way  with  them,  they  may  occupy  the  wit- 
ness-stand ;  —  till  then  it  is  very  little  they  can  have 
to  say  among  Christ's  babes,  for  it  is  hard  to  talk 
out  of  an  empty  heart. 

Beloved,  I  was  brought  up  to  preach,  and  I  have 
in  my  measure  followed  my  calling.  I  am  perfectly 
willing  that  men  should  say  my  preaching  ability  is 
small,  yet  I  have  written  many  sermons  with  great- 
est care.  And  I  have  burned  hundreds  of  those 
sermons  up,  because  when  I  had  written  the  ser- 
mons it  was  all  I  had  to  say ;  out  of  the  unstudied 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  259 

treasures  of  a  heart  filled  with  grace  I  did  not  have 
the  wherewithal  to  bring  up,  and  God's  little  ones 
must  have  washed  and  prayed  for  me  to  be  one  of 
their  number.  Now  for  the  change.  Rather  than 
preach  a  sermon  which  will  draw  me  the  compli- 
ments of  men,  rather  than  be  known  as  the  preach- 
er, I  choose  to  be  a  simple  witness  of  Christ's  "ut- 
termost" salvation.  His  uttermost  salvation,  the 
true  cross-preaching,  is  solid,  and  infinitely  beauti- 
ful, in  the  sight  of  the  truly  wise.  Yes,  I  would 
rather  be  a  simple  witness  in  that  little  flock  that 
gather  at  the  Tuesday  meeting,  and  at  kindred 
places,  than  be  the  greatest  preacher  in  the  land. 
Such  could  preach  great  sermons,  and  die  in  his 
dignity.  But  I  would  rather  die  in  the  littleness  of 
a  babe  resting  on  the  bosom  of  infinite  love,  with 
the  sweet  story  of  the  cross  simply  and  alone  com- 
ing out  of  my  mouth  to  save  and  to  bless  men. 

Up,  dear  souls;  ye  can  all  be  witnesses. 
All  of  you  that  love  Jesus  can  tell  it,  and  that  is 
the  testimony  which  bears  fruit.  Those  of  you  that 
desire  to  appear  well  in  your  speech  have  not  the 
uttermost  story  to  give.  But  those  of  you  who  are 
willing  to  be  anything  or  nothing  are  ready  to  tell 
the  stoiy.  The  simple  declaration,  "  I  know  that 
I  love  Jesus,  and  that  He  is  my  present  Saviour,^* 
may,  coming  from  some  soul  whom  God  has  pre- 
pared to  say  it,  prove  of  more  power  than  many 
sermons.     I  speak  that  I  do  know. 


26o  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

Ah,  then,  it  is  objected,  the  testimony  has  to  be 
prepared.  Yes,  —  by  the  Lord  in  your  heart. 
One  man  can  say  the  words  I  have  just  written,  and 
though  in  statement  they  be  the  cream  of  a  Christian 
experience,  yet  they  might  fall  like  icebergs ;  anoth- 
er would  speak  them,  and  they  would  seem  to  come 
from  the  opening  of  furnace  doors  which  burn  with- 
in sufficiently  to  impel  vast  machinery,  and  when 
open  burn  and  glow  upon  those  outside  with  amaz- 
ing light  and  heat.  Wliat  made  the  Samaritan 
woman's  testimony  so  powerful  was,  that  she  had 
been  talking  with  Jesus  ;  but  if  her  mere  presence 
with  His  humanity  produced  a  crowd  of  suppliants 
and  admirers,  how  much  more  when  Jesus  dwells 
within  us  ?  Get  Jesus  enthroned,  and  you  have 
light,  and  heat,  and  power  which  will  compel  a 
hearing,  though  you  speak  with  greatest  simplicity. 
Let  me  be  plain.  Do  not  leave  it  to  guess-work 
that  Jesus  is  your  All  and  in  all.  Be  sure  that  you 
love  Jesus  with  intensely  gi  eater  affection  than  you 
do  your  dearest  earthly  darling.  Have  it  so  though 
it  should  cost  you  as  much  as  it  would  have  cost 
the  young  man  who  went  away  sorrowing  because 
he  had  great  possessions.  Be  sure  you  have  the 
one  thing  which  he  lacked.  Let  all  go  for  Jesus, 
that  He  may  have  free  scope  in  your  heart  in  mil- 
lennial sweetness,  without  any  police.  He  does 
not  want  you  to  come  to  Him  in  such  a  way  that 
you  will  be  compelled  to  whip  yourself  up  to  His 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  26 1 

service,  or  that  your  conscience  or  your  will  or  a 
godless  world  will  goad  you  to  duty.  He  docs 
not  desire  you  to  be  needing  close  sermons  that 
cut  you  in  every  quarter  of  your  soul.  He  simply 
desires  an  empty  heart  that  He  may  fill  it,  a  will 
given  up  to  Him  that  He  may  control  it ;  and  so 
shall  your  conscience,  as  a  judge,  have  its  millenni- 
um, its  approving  rest,  in  the  peace  among  the  com- 
munity of  your  powers.  Then,  instead  of  needing 
close  sermons,  you  will  have  a  story  to  tell  which 
shall  be  heard  gladly  by  hungering  souls,  whose 
powers,  both  greater  and  less  than  your  own,  shall 
be  united  in  His  service.  The  Lion,  and  the  Lamb 
together,  and  all  the  wild-beast  spirits  among  men, 
shall  help  each  other  to  testify  to  the  wondrous 
work  of  God.  The  story  these  all  tell  is  the  God- 
prepared  story  of  reigning,  triumphant  grace.  Yes, 
beloved,  let  Jesus  in  fully,  and  then  you  will  not 
only  have  to  say.  He  told  me  all  things  that  ever 
I  did.  Nay,  nay ;  from  the  innermost  temple  of 
your  soul  you  will  say.  He  telleth  7ne  all  things 
that  Himself  doeth^^  for  He  is  my  Friend,  my 
Husband. 


WITNESSES    OF   THE    LORD. 

It  always  was,  now  more  than  ever,  a  time  to 
witness  for  Jesus.  Every  Christian,  from  the  time 
of  his  regeneration,  is  a  Heaven-appointed  witness 


262  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

of  the  I^ord.  The  testimony  is  to  be  confined  to 
no  time  or  place,  but  universally  given  to  the  full 
extent  of  our  ransomed  powers.  Our  names,  our 
business,  our  families,  our  conversation,  our  friend- 
ships, our  associations,  our  jjossessions,  are  never 
to  be  allowed  to  dissociate  us  in  any,  the  least  way, 
from  Christ.  On  the  contrary,  all  these  are  to  have 
the  name  of  Christ  burned  upon  tliem,  and  in- 
effaceably  impressed,  so  that  wherever  these  are 
known  it  shall  be  known  tliat  they  are  Christ's,  and 
not  ours.  This  will  honor  Christ,  and  our  testi- 
mony shall  be  living  light.  Oh,  beloved,  does  not 
your  soul  glow  with  great  joy,  and  burn  with  fer- 
vent love,  seeing  that  you  may  be  a  witness  for 
Jesus,  of  His  power  to  save  ;  of  His  fulness,  of  His 
great  compassion,  of  His  "grace  abounding  to  the 
chief  of  sinners,"  of  the  hojK"  which  is  an  anchor  to 
the  soul,  of  the  assurance  of  eternal  life,  of  the 
ever-present  Holy  Spirit,  His  deep  comforts  and 
infallible  directions  through  His  Word  ?  What  an 
unutterable  privilege  ;  what  royal  dignity,  to  be 
witnesses  for  the  King  of  kings  ! 

Now  for  the  work  !  What  first  shall  be  done  ? 
Do  you  ask  with  strong  desire?  Is  it  your  soul's 
best  work  to 

"CROWN    HIM     LORD    OF    ALL?" 

First,  then,  sec,  dear  fellow  pilgrim  to  the  "  ex- 
cellent glory,"  that  He  is  crowned  and  triumphant 


THK    REST   OF    FAITH.  263 

within  you.  Nothing  can  be  done  before  tliis. 
Your  ]jowcrs  are  not  ready  until  the  r>anic  of  Jesus 
is  stamped  upon  them  by  His  indwehing  Spirit. 
Have  it  done,  then,  so  that  you  are  sure  of  it.  Do 
not  once  attemjjt  to  hope  that  all  is  right,  until  you 
are  sure  that  the  Holy  C^host  has  sealed  you.  You 
will  feel  His  work  on  your  inirj>f)scs,  on  your  will, 
on  your  affections,  on  your  thoughts.  Then,  as  a 
fire  in  the  bones,  it  will  come  out.  'J 'bought  will 
be  active,  and  will  lend  activity  to  speech.  You 
will  be  decided  when  men  oppose  ;  and  the  more 
you  testify,  the  more  will  Jesus  give  you  to  feel 
supreme  satisfaction  with  His  work.  Your  testi- 
mony, though  it  be  concerning  what  Jesus  has  done 
for  you,  will  have  very  little  self  in  it.  It  will  be  a 
hiding  all  self  behind  the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Words  may  be  few  —  they  will  be  spoken  with 
a  fearless  independence  ;  they  may  be  far  from 
eloquent  —  they  will  tell  upon  tho  world.  They  may 
even  seem  to  be  lost ;  it  may  ai>pear  to  us  that  we 
are  testifying  here  and  there  for  nothing,  but  here- 
after it  shall  appear  that  they  have  sprung  up  to  the 
glory  of  God,  anrl  have  not  returned  void. 

One  thing  that  the  witness  for  Jesus  should 
especially  do  is  to  lay  aside  all  anxious  care  for 
results.  He  may  look  fcjr  results,  but  these  do  not 
spring  up  by  His  own  hand.  Ood  will  bless,  but 
let  him  wait.     For  if  over-anxious  for  results,  he 


264  THE    REST    OF    FAITH. 

may  be  misled  to  take  that  for  a  reward  which  is 
only  temporary,  and  which  will  sadly  disappoint 
him  in  a  coming  day.  If  we  labor  faithfully  for 
Jesus,  He  will  see  to  it  that  our  labor  is  not  in 
vain,  will  show -us  His  own  gracious  encourage- 
ments, and  at  last,  at  last,  we  "  shall  come  again 
with  rejoicing,  bringing  our  sheaves  with  us."  Said 
a  man  to  one  who  was  distributing  tract  cards,  "  Did 
you  ever  see  any  result  of  this  labor  from  the  thou- 
sands you  have  scattered  ?  "  "  Only  one,"  was  the 
reply.  But,  beloved,  if  the  thousands  had  not  been 
scattered,  that  one  would  not  have  been  gathered. 
That  one  paid  for  thousands  upon  thousands  more. 
Thousands  of  tongues,  millions  of  words,  years 
of  trial  for  Jesus'  sake,  no  amount  of  toil  or  pain 
that  we  can  endure  for  Him,  will  be  too  much. 
Glory  be  to  His  name.  Let  us  be  witnessing  for 
Him  in  life,  in  service,  in  word,  in  prayer,  in  praise, 
in  conference,  in  confession,  everywhere,  in  season, 
out  of  season.  Dearly  beloved,  let  us  be  as  firm, 
as  clear,  as  pointed,  as  full  in  our  testimony  as 
though  we  felt  ourselves  in  the  article  of  death,  and 
on  the  borders  of  the  Heavenly  Canaan. 

christian,  keep  sowing. 

"  Keep  sowing."    So  said  a  Christian  to  a  person 

who  had  given  him  a  tract  by  which  he  had  received 

spiritual  benefit.     The  brother  who  gave  the  tract 

counts  it  a  joy  to  tell  every  man,  woman,  and  child 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  265 

he  meets,  something  about  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
The  cars,  the  steamboat,  the  street,  the  store,  the 
parlor,  the  sick  room,  the  counting  office,  are  the 
places  which  never  fail  to  hear  his  voice',  in  which- 
soever he  may  be.  Many  will  meet  him  in  the 
judgment,  who  will  then  remember  the  words  of 
faithfulness  he  has  spoken.  It  was  doubtless  a 
great  encouragement  to  him,  when  a  brother,  who 
had  been  deeply  moved  by  his  words  for  Jesus,  ear- 
nestly said,  "  Keep  sowing,  brother." 

Christian,  reader,  are  you  daily  and  hourly  sowing 
for  Jesus  ?  Do  you  belong  to  that  company  who 
go  forth  weeping  and  bearing  precious  seed,  who 
shall  doubtless  "  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bring- 
ing their  sheaves  with  them  ? "  Sow  beside  all 
waters,  brother,  sister  of  Jesus ;  not  only  where  the 
soil  looks  good ;  for  even  there,  there  may  not  be 
much  depth  of  earth.  Sow  everywhere  the  precious 
seed  of  divine  truth,  tell  everywhere  the  power  of 
the  Blood  of  Jesus  to  save  from  hell  and  from  sin. 

But  what  is  this  sowing  ?  The  seed  is  the  Word, 
but  what  is  the  sowing  ?  The  hand  sows  the  natu- 
ral seed  into  the  earth ;  this  sowing  is  done  by  the 
heart,  and  either  the  mouth  or  the  hand  may  be  its 
instrument.  Then  the  great  necessity  is  to  have  the 
heart  full  of  the  precious  seed.  The  seed  is  the 
Word ;  but  the  memory  may  be  full  of  the  words 
of  Scripture  while  the  heart  is  c[uite  empty  of  their 
love  or  of  their  spirit.     How,  then,  shall  we  get  the 


2  66  THE    REST   OF   FAITH. 

heart  full  of  these  seeds  ?  The  soul  of  the  writer  is 
full  while  he  thinks  of  the  answer.  Dear  reader, 
the  word  is  not  only  written  in  the  Bible  ;  it  is  Em- 
bodied IN  Christ.  Get  Jesus  Christ,  the  Em- 
bodied Word,  in  your  soul. 

"Christ  liveth  in  me,"  said  the  holy  apostle. 
When  this  is  the  happy  fact,  the  soul  understands 
the  Scriptures,  and  has  no  need  of  the  teachings  of 
men.  He  feels  the  power  of  the  heavenly  seed. 
He  feels  the  life  of  that  energy  which  is  to  convert 
the  world,  if  it  be  ever  converted.  The  love  of  a 
present  Jesus  in  the  soul  is  like  a  fire  within,  which 
puts  all  the  being  in  motion.  It  commands  all  the 
powers  of  the  body,  "  so  that  they  cannot  do  the 
things  which  they  would  "  when  swayed  by  the  un- 
regenerated  will.  Christ  in  the  soul  is  an  energizing 
Spirit.  He  is  a  commander  of  the  powers  for  God. 
He  takes  away  the  love  of  the  world,  and  of  the 
flesh,  and  tears  away  the  power  of  the  devil.  He 
illustrates  the  meaning,  and  makes  manifest  the 
fulness  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
things  of  God.  He  convinces  that  these  contain 
the  only  way  of  salvation,  and  all  that  man  can 
possibly  need  to  bring  him  triumphantly  to  heaven, 
and  to  make  him  conqueror  over  sin  this  side  the 
grave. 

Christ  Jesus,  by  His  own  spiritual  indwelling 
causes  the  soul  to  feel  and  to  know  that  divine, 
refreshment,  holy  courage,  lively  joy,  and  constant 


THE    REST   OF    FAITH.  267 

energy,  by  which  we  may  continually  refresh,  in- 
struct, assist,  incite,  souls  into  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven,  or  on  their  way  to  glory.  Ministerial 
labor  must  be  very  distasteful  work  where  Christ 
is  not  reigning  in  the  heart.  But  let  Christ  be 
enthroned,  let  Him  command  all  our  powers,  and 
the  humblest  of  laymen  shall  be  the  Lord's  prophet. 
Ministers  who  only  preach  in  the  pulpit  never 
preach.  Such  cannot  be  a  "flaming  fire."  But 
every  one  can  be  a  flaming  fire  whose  loving,  living 
words  for  Jesus  burn  everywhere.  When  the  heart 
is  glowing  with  Christ,  the  Scriptures  will  be  prec- 
ious, and  the  words  that  come  from  the  mouth  will 
be  the  seed  which  He  will  use  and  approve. 

Therefore,  beloved  lover  of  Jesus,  keep  sowing. 
Let  the  heart  be  a  repository  of  the  riches  and  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  so  let  the  mouth  declare, 
exhort,  praise,  utter  comforts  to  the  afflicted,  as  the 
case  may  be.  Do  not  merely  ask.  Where  shall  I 
go  to  declare  this  word  ?  but  do  it  wherever  you 
are.  Cards,  tracts,  books,  may  be  given  with  the 
hands,  but  let  the  mouth  be  open  for  Christ.  In 
any  way,  in  every  way,  keep  sowing  the  seed  ;  the 
name,  the  will,  the  work,  the  blood  of  Jesus  shall  be 
precious  seed  unto  life  eternal.  O  wondrous  grace, 
which  permits  poor  worms  to  plant  that  which  shall 
forever  bloom  in  the  world  of  fadeless  joy  !  "  Keep 
sowing,"  for  you  know  not  whether  shall  prosper, 
this  or  that ;  you  know  that  those  who  are  faithful 


268  THE    REST   OF    FAITH. 

in  this  vineyard  shall  not  lack  a  good  harvest  for 
the  praise  of  our  great  Lord.  Let  us  have  no  selfish 
desires  for  our  own  results  —  we  shall  be  fully  satis- 
fied in  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ. 

WE   REST  IN   LABOR   IN   JESUS. 


THE  END. 


